Royal Brunei Airlines’ (RB) inaugural flight from Brunei to Chennai on November 5 will coincide with an investment and tourism promotion programme hosted in Chennai.
The Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) will host an investment seminar on the afternoon of 6 November, followed by a Brunei Night that evening to promote tourism in collaboration with RB, the Brunei High Commission to India, and Brunei Tourism.
The Minister of Transport and Infocommunications, YB Pg Dato Seri Setia Shamhary Pg Dato Paduka Hj Mustapha, shared the broader programme connected to the inaugural flight during RB’s ceremonial launch event for the Chennai route at Tarindak D’Seni on Friday evening.
The Brunei-Chennai route restores direct connectivity between the two nations after two decades. This milestone also follows a significant meeting between Brunei’s and India’s heads of state in September—the first visit by a sitting Indian Prime Minister to Brunei.
RB will operate three weekly flights to Chennai on its Airbus A320neo, with a flight time of approximately five and a half hours. The route is a welcome addition for the nearly 15,000 Indian nationals residing in Brunei and introduces the Sultanate to a wider Indian audience.
RB CEO Captain Sabirin Hj Abd Hamid highlighted that the airline’s interline and codeshare agreement with Air India enhances the Chennai route, allowing connectivity for passengers from other cities across India to Chennai and to RB’s network destinations, including Melbourne, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Singapore, Seoul, Manila, and Taipei.
Weaving new connections: The Brunei-Chennai story
The investment seminar on 6 November, titled Weaving New Connections: The Brunei-Chennai Story, is expected to welcome over 100 business leaders and representatives from India.
The seminar is part of the Brunei-India Business Exchange Mission led by BEDB, which includes a delegation of more than 20 members from the Indian Chambers of Commerce, as well as Brunei-based businesses with Indian stakeholders, who will be on the inaugural flight.
Hosted at the ITC Grand Chola, the seminar will highlight investment opportunities in Brunei Darussalam’s five priority sectors: downstream oil and gas, food processing, tourism, ICT, and services.
A panel discussion will also feature success stories of Indian FDIs in Brunei, spotlighting companies like Polygel, a specialty chemicals manufacturer; Atoll Oxygen, an oxygen and nitrogen supplier; and JSY Systems, an IT services provider.
BEDB will also host one-on-one meetings and site visits with Indian businesses on November 7 and 8.
CEO and founder of Polygel Luv Shah said the exchange mission is an important showcase of Brunei’s potential to new audiences.
“For Indian businesses and entrepreneurs seeking raw materials or sources of energy, Brunei can be a destination. But even for knowledge-based industries such as IT and services, there are also opportunities; we hope to welcome people to Brunei to see for themselves,” he said.
Shah, who relocated his manufacturing facility from India to Brunei in 2018 while maintaining sales and distribution in India and headquarters in Singapore, highlighted government support for FDIs and Brunei’s accessibility to India and China.
“We have not only survived COVID but also grown in the past six years, which itself is a testament to what Brunei has to offer,” he said.
“The government is actively working to attract FDI, with initiatives to improve infrastructure, port facilities, land provision, and connectivity. Brunei offers stability, good governance, and a strong rule of law.”
BEDB is expected to host a follow-up visit in Brunei for prospective Indian FDIs following the Chennai programme.
MTIC committed to expanding Brunei’s global connectivity
With the addition of the Chennai route, Brunei now connects to 21 cities across 18 countries. The MTIC Minister emphasised that this expansion reflects Brunei’s commitment to enhancing global connectivity, which is supported by 40 air service agreements.
The minister noted that Brunei International Airport has reached 60% of its pre-COVID passenger levels and encouraged RB to pursue further connections under existing bilateral air service agreements.
“As a facilitator and enabler, MTIC will continue to strive to establish new agreements with countries and also encourage airlines to make use of already established agreements,” he said.
“Together, we can harness these connections to foster further growth, enhance our tourism sector, and position Brunei Darussalam as a key player in the aviation landscape.”
