The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and NUS-ISS at the National University of Singapore have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen digital leadership and responsible AI governance among Indian enterprises through a dedicated executive certification programme.
The agreement was exchanged during the CII Annual Business Summit 2026 in New Delhi in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Singapore High Commissioner to India Simon Wong, CII President Rajiv Memani, and CII Vice-President Dr Suchitra Ella.
The partnership aims to support India’s digital transformation efforts by equipping board members, CXOs, and senior decision-makers with practical and strategic understanding of artificial intelligence, digital governance, cybersecurity, innovation leadership, and emerging technologies.
As part of the collaboration, CII and NUS-ISS will jointly offer the “Leadership Programme on Artificial Intelligence and Governance,” an executive certification designed for industry leaders navigating a fast-changing global technology environment.
The programme builds on three pilot editions conducted at NUS-ISS in Singapore in November 2024, May 2025, and November 2025. More than 65 Indian industry executives have already completed the programme.
Under the new agreement, the initiative will be formally expanded, with half-yearly programme editions scheduled across 2026, 2027, and 2028. The immediate target is to train more than 100 executives by the end of 2026.
“India’s growth journey will increasingly be shaped by how effectively industry leaders embrace digital transformation and AI-led innovation,” said Chandrajit Banerjee, Director-General of CII.
He said the collaboration with NUS-ISS is a significant step toward building leadership capability in emerging technologies and governance frameworks, while also aligning with the digitalisation and skilling pillars of the India-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Khoong Chan Meng, CEO of NUS-ISS, said the partnership reflects a shared focus on preparing future-ready leadership.
“As AI rapidly reshapes businesses and economies, leaders must understand both the opportunities and governance implications of AI adoption,” he said.
He added that through the leadership programme, NUS-ISS aims to help Indian enterprises develop stronger digital leadership capabilities while encouraging responsible innovation.
The CII Global Leadership Centre in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, will serve as the anchor institution for joint leadership and digitalisation initiatives under the agreement.
The collaboration is also expected to explore wider areas of digital upskilling, including executive education, specialised industry training, and deeper knowledge exchange between India and Singapore.
Established in 1981, NUS-ISS has trained more than 210,000 digital professionals and leaders from over 9,400 corporate organisations. The institute offers programmes in digital leadership, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, and smart health, led by faculty with an average of 20 years of industry experience.
