Established in 1924, SICCI is one of Singapore’s most respected and active commercial organisations today, with more than 900 members.

Located in Singapore’s central business district, SICCI conducts its operations out of its modest but elegant building which is staffed by a dedicated and professional secretariat team. Offering members a wide range of services and benefits, SICCI plays a well-garnered role in meeting the business needs of its members and the wider corporate community.

SICCI offers its members and the wider corporate community a diverse range of services to meet their business needs. Enterprise Development Centre@SICCI, SICCI Institute of Business, SICCI Trade Documentation and SICCI Trade Match – combine to actively promote the development of its members and provide the necessary networking opportunities and linkages for its members to grow their businesses and operations locally and globally.

In a highly dynamic global market place, SICCI plays three key roles – it is a connector, enabler and advocator. It provides the necessary linkages and connections to its members so that they are able to grow their businesses locally and internationally. It provides the necessary training courses, programmes and activities, thus enabling its members to enhance their knowledge, expertise and competencies, and build capabilities. It advocates the views of its members at appropriate platforms so that these views are taken into account during policy formulation.

These strategic foci and thrusts have ensured that SICCI continues to remain relevant in meeting the diverse and changing needs of the members; relevant in communicating and representing the views of the members to the government; relevant in linking the members to the larger business community; and relevant in connecting the members to countries that act as potential markets.

As the body representing the Singapore Indian business community, SICCI also serves as the community’s spokesman at various private and public sector platforms in Singapore. Apart from its role in the business environment, it is an exemplary corporate citizen, playing a leading role in the promotion of social welfare and in Singapore’s nation building.

Given its dynamism and foresight, SICCI will continue to progress and build on its strong and prominent position in Singapore. SICCI will remain the partner of choice for Indian companies in Singapore

History

The genealogy of SICCI is as follows:

• 1924               Indian Merchant Association
• 1935               Indian Chamber of Commerce         
• 1971               Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce
• 1991               Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The Chamber has its humble beginnings in the efforts of a few dedicated Indian businessmen who set out in 1924 to organise the Indian mercantile community in Singapore and set up the Indian Merchant Association (IMA). Though Indian merchants had been active in trade and commerce in this part of the world from time immemorial, the historic developments that followed the arrival of Stamford Raffles in Singapore in 1819 gave a fillip to their activities.

Eleven years later, on 26 August 1935, when Mr R Jumabhoy was President of the IMA, the Association’s name was officially changed to the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC). It then became an entity that was exempted from registration under Ordinance 116 (Societies) of Malaya. On 27 September 1937, a ‘Certificate of Incorporation’ under the Companies Ordinance was issued to the ICC.

The ICC changed its name to the Indian Chamber of Commerce (SICC) in 1971 to reflect the changing nature of its compositions and focus. A further change in name took place in 1991 when the SICC was renamed the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

The Chamber’s Premises

The IMA, at the time of its conversion to the ICC, was located in a small rented room in an old building in Malacca Street, where the Republic Plaza now stands.

In 1937, with its incorporation, the Chamber relocated to another rented but far more spacious premise at 4 Raffles Quay. However, in 1953, when the site was required to establish the present Ascott The Residence (former Asia Insurance Building), the Chamber had to move out to yet another rented place at No 94B Robinson Road.

In 1963, the Chamber moved into its very own premises, a three-storey building at 55 Robinson Road. These premises were acquired after the Chamber sold the property that it had bought at 41 Market Street as early as 1949, but could not occupy as its tenant refused to move out. This property, unfortunately, was ultimately acquired by the Singapore government for urban redevelopment.

In 1984, the Chamber acquired a modern office space in Tong Eng Building in Cecil Street. The office space was well equipped with a trade documentation centre, conference and seminar facilities and library.

In 2007, the Chamber acquired its current premises, a three-and-a-half storey conservation property, at 31 Stanley Street. This acquisition more than doubled the working space for the SICCI Secretariat, and after extensive renovations, provided state-of the-art facilities. This shift has also enabled the SICCI to set up its Enterprise Development Centre, an entity which has helped to integrate the Chamber’s activities and foster enterprise development, especially amongst its small-medium enterprise members.