Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong extended a warm welcome to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a private dinner at the Istana, the Singaporean presidential palace, on Wednesday evening. The event marked the beginning of high-level discussions aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation between India and Singapore.
PM Modi’s visit to Singapore is the second leg of his Southeast Asian tour, following his historic first bilateral visit to Brunei as an Indian premier. Upon his arrival in Singapore, PM Modi was greeted by Singapore’s Home Minister K. Shanmugam. The private dinner at the Istana, attended by close aides including India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, set the stage for forthcoming official talks.
“Delighted to have the chance to catch up over a meal at the Istana, before the official meetings tomorrow,” Wong shared on social media platform X. Modi echoed similar sentiments, expressing that the discussion had been “excellent” and emphasized India’s appreciation for its friendship with Singapore. Modi also highlighted India’s commitment to enhancing ties with Singapore, noting the country’s reforms and youthful talent as key factors making it an attractive investment destination.
The official talks scheduled for Thursday will focus on driving forward cooperation in several crucial areas, including digitalisation, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. The discussions are expected to build on the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable held last month, which highlighted new areas of collaboration. Approximately five agreements are anticipated to be unveiled, including a pivotal agreement on semiconductor cooperation.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal underscored the importance of Modi’s visit, describing it as a significant boost to India’s Act East policy, its vision for the Indo-Pacific, and the overall India-Singapore economic and technological ties. Following a ceremonial welcome at the Parliament House, PM Modi will also meet with senior officials including Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
Additionally, PM Modi and PM Wong are scheduled to visit the semiconductor facility of AEM Holdings Ltd and participate in a roundtable discussion with CEOs to strengthen trade and investment relations. Singapore stands as India’s largest trade partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the sixth largest trade partner globally. Furthermore, Singapore was the leading source of foreign direct investment (FDI) into India in 2023, with cumulative investments since 2000 amounting to $160 billion.
Sources By Agencies
