Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Singapore for his official two-day visit to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations. The prime minister’s visit to Singapore comes after a historic visit to Brunei as part of New Delhi’s ‘Act East’ policy.
India and Singapore already share a strategic alliance in the region and PM Modi’s visit today aims to “deepen the strategic partnership”. Prime Minister Modi is visiting Singapore at the invitation of his counterpart Lawrence Wong.
The prime minister’s visit comes after six years. PM Modi’s previous visit was in 2018. “His first visit to Singapore was in his first term as the Prime Minister. This visit is of great significance as it’s his visit early in his term, and also as the new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has taken oath recently and Singaporeans are excited to welcome PM Modi,” Secretary East, Ministry of External Affairs, Jaideep Mazumdar said.
PM Modi’s visit comes within days of Lawrence Wong becoming the new prime minister of Singapore and within weeks of Narendra Modi taking charge as Prime Minister for his third consecutive term.
Ahead of his arrival in Singapore, PM Modi shared a post on X, which reads, “I look forward to my discussions to deepen our Strategic Partnership with Singapore, particularly in new and emerging areas of advanced manufacturing, digitalisation, and sustainable development.”
Prime Minister Modi, who last visited Singapore in 2018, is accompanied by Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and other top government officials.
“The leaders will review the progress of India-Singapore Strategic Partnership and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest,” a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement said ahead of his departure for Brunei and Singapore.
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said “India and Singapore’s bilateral ties “have been extremely strong in the last two decades.”
“Given the transformation underway in India and the changes in the world, they need to become more contemporary. In many ways, that is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen to visit Singapore so early in his third term,” The Straits Times quoted Mr Jaishankar as saying in an interview.
“Just like Singapore had an opportunity in 1992 and then again in 2006, it should seize the moment and fully utilise the new landscape,” the minister said.
PM MODI’S MEETINGS
During his visit, PM Modi will receive an official welcome at the Parliament House tomorrow and will also meet President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, apart from his meeting with Prime Minister L:awrence Wong.
Prime Minister Modi is also scheduled to meet three generations of Singapore’s leadership and will meet top CEO’s as well.
PM Modi will meet senior minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus senior minister Goh Chok Tong. Mr Wong and Mr Lee will host Prime Minister Modi for separate meals.
PM Modi will also meet business leaders and interact with those in the country’s semiconductor ecosystem. This visit will build synergies in semiconductor ecosystems of Singapore and India. Both PMs will visit a semiconductor manufacturing facility, officials said.
AGREEMENTS TO BE SIGNED
Memorandums of Understanding or MoUs will be signed for cooperation in manpower skilling in the semiconductor sector. From skilling centres to training and recruitment by Singapore firms, this will help India’s youth with better skills and opportunities, officials added.
Agreements are also likely in the areas of maritime cooperation, maritime security, trade, investment, digitisation, skill, sustainability, health, advanced manufacturing and connectivity.
INDIA-SINGAPORE TIES
Singapore is India’s largest trade partner in ASEAN. It is also a leading source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the last financial year with an investment of $11.77 billion in 2023 alone. Singapore has been a long-term investor in India. Since 2000 till now, we have an accumulative FDI of USD 160 billion dollars.
“This is an opportune time to set the stage for India-Singapore’s vibrant bilateral relations for the next stage of India-Singapore bilateral relations. Our ties have evolved and we have a dynamic strategic partnership encompassing diverse areas from our shared history and people-to-people ties, which form an important link between us,” the Ministry of External Affairs said ahead of the PM’s visit.
