Mumbai: Singapore has expressed interest in acquiring a special economic zone in India, although it acknowledged the difficulties of acquiring large tracts of land, which is a sensitive issue for a mainly agrarian country like India.    

''I had proposed the idea of having a special economic zone with India to Premier Manmohan Singh two years ago and he was very enthusiastic about the idea," Singapaore minister Goh Chok Tong told the Prawasi Bharatiya Diwas, a convention of more than 800 members of the Indian diaspora from 20 countries.    

Addressing a special session on the ''Personal Reflections on India", the former prime minister said, unlike in China, where the land ownership system differs, there are problems of acquiring large areas of land for setting up an SEZ in India.

He cited the example of the 'Eco City' idea mooted in April last year for which Chinese authorities acquired land very soon.    

''We are still interested and are still looking for that piece of land in India,'' he said.

The minister also said the city state was open to entering into infrastructure projects in India in partnership with Malaysia.    

He said the financial turmoil would affect countries in Asia to the extend it affects the real economies of Europe and the US. He also said it was difficult as yet to foresee a EU style Asian Union.