Prime Minister Narendra Modi may soon visit Singapore to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries. The dates of the Prime Minister’s official visit are not yet known, but it will happen soon, a top official said.
Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan referred to Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Singapore following a high-level meeting held by senior ministers of India and Singapore to advance their strategic ties.
A four-member Indian delegation comprising Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Railways and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw participated in the 2nd India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) in Singapore.
Describing the meeting as “productive”, Mr Balakrishnan said, “We will be announcing the official visit of Prime Minister Modi to Singapore very soon. I cannot tell you the exact date, but it will happen soon.”
During the multi-ministerial meeting, the two countries discussed ways to boost bilateral cooperation in the digital sector, skill development, sustainability, healthcare, connectivity and manufacturing.
Mr Balakrishnan further said that advanced manufacturing and semiconductors, as well as aviation and maritime connectivity, are new areas that Singapore and India have included in their bilateral dialogue.
“A country of over 1.4 billion people is now embarking on a major upgrade of its aviation sector. This is a once in two, three decades opportunity, and it’s good that we are kind of at the forefront and have the opportunity (to collaborate),” he said.
Singapore was represented at the meeting by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo, Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng and Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat.
“During the meeting, the ministers reaffirmed the close and long-standing relationship between the two countries, built on strong economic and people-to-people ties,” Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Trade and Industry said in a joint release.
In addition to the connectivity between Singapore’s PayNow and India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in February 2023, which allows financial institutions on both sides to transfer money in real time, the two countries have also facilitated investments in renewable energy, such as green ammonia.
“I am confident that our discussions today and future ones will pave the way for promoting greater cooperation between Singapore and India,” the Singapore Deputy Prime Minister said.
The official announcement of the Ministry of External Affairs is awaited regarding the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
(Inputs from PTI)
