Govt differs with Singapore's logic to restrict access to IT professionals

Singapore authorities were insisting on economic needs test to deny access to Indian professionals

India has differed with the Singapore government's logic to restrict access to Indian professionals employed in the information technology sector.

A media report on Monday suggested Singapore authorities were insisting on the "economic needs test" (ENT), a functionality in trade terms which argues for compliance with certain economic criteria, to deny access to Indian professionals. 

India had signed the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) back in 2005. The agreement has been credited with increasing India's exports to the nation from $4 billion in 2004-05 to $16.9 billion in 2011-12. However, exports have seen a steep decline since then, going down