CII and NUS-ISS Join Forces to Boost AI Governance for Indian Firms

The MoU was exchanged at 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 strengthen India's digital transformation ecosystem by equipping board members, CXOs and senior decision-makers with strategic and practical insights into AI, digital governance, cybersecurity, innovation leadership and emerging technologies.

Under the agreement, CII and NUS-ISS will jointly deliver the "Leadership Programme on Artificial Intelligence and Governance," an exclusive capacity-building certification tailored for industry leaders navigating the rapidly evolving global technology landscape.

The initiative builds on three successful pilot editions held at NUS-ISS in Singapore in November 2024, May 2025 and November 2025. More than 65 Indian industry executives have already been trained through the programme.

Under the new MoU, CII and NUS-ISS will formalise and expand the initiative with half-yearly runs planned for 2026, 2027 and 2028, with a target to train over 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 Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director-General, CII. "CII's collaboration with NUS-ISS is an important step towards building leadership capacity in emerging technologies and governance frameworks."

He added that the initiative also complements the 'Digitalisation' and 'Skilling' pillars under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Singapore.

Khoong Chan Meng, CEO of NUS-ISS, said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to building future-ready leadership capabilities. "As AI rapidly reshapes businesses and economies, leaders must understand both the opportunities and governance implications of AI adoption," he said.

"Through the Leadership Programme on Artificial Intelligence and Governance, NUS-ISS looks forward to supporting Indian enterprises in developing strategic digital leadership competencies and fostering responsible innovation."

The CII Global Leadership Centre in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, will anchor joint programmes on leadership and digitalisation under the MoU. The collaboration will also explore broader areas of digital upskilling, including executive education, specialised training for industry professionals and enhanced knowledge exchange between India and Singapore.

Established in 1981, NUS-ISS has trained over 210,000 digital leaders and professionals from more than 9,400 corporate organisations. The institute offers programmes in digital leadership, AI, cybersecurity, data science and smart health, delivered by faculty with an average of 20 years of industry experience.

- ANI