India, Singapore working on mutual recognition agreements

Soon Indian chartered accountants and nurses will get easy access to work in Singapore as the two countries are finalising mutual recognition agreements.
Mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) pave the way for recognition of professional body of one country by the other. Regulatory bodies of various professional services like engineering, accountancy and architecture are encouraged to enter into these pacts.
"We already have Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) going on for Singapore. In nursing we have finished MRAs. The other MRAs on chartered accountancies are under negotiations," Commerce Secretary Rajeev Kher told reporters here.
With these agreements, chartered accountants and nurses of Singapore too would find it easy to work in India.

India and Singapore have implemented the free trade agreement in 2005.
Similar agreements would be signed with other FTA partners of India and that includes Japan, South Korea and Asean.

Replying to a question that India has not been benefited from the free trade agreements, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said: "I do not agree with (this)".
Industry has raised concerns that more than India, its FTA partners have benefited more from these pacts.
Talking about the Global Exhibition on Services (GES), she said it will serve as a platform to enhance strategic cooperation and develop synergies between the players of the services sector in India with its global counterparts.

Sitharaman said that participants from about 60 countries are attending the exhibition, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 23 here.
"Around 39 countries are taking the exhibition space. The exhibition is first of its kind and would henceforth become an annual feature. From next year, it will be held in February," she said.
About 300 exhibitors are participating in diverse sectors and more than 500 foreign delegates are participating.
The focus sectors will be - IT & telecom, tourism, media & entertainment, healthcare, logistics, professional services, education, R&D, space and SME in services.