Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on an official visit to Singapore on September 4 and 5, aiming to elevate bilateral relations between the two nations. The visit follows a high-level roundtable between top ministers of India and Singapore held two weeks ago.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) highlighted that relations between India and Singapore are on the verge of a significant breakthrough. “Ties between India and Singapore are poised to reach an entirely new level of cooperation,” stated the MEA during a special briefing ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit.
Secretary East, MEA, Jaideep Mazumdar, noted that this will be Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to Singapore in six years, and it is expected to focus on enhancing collaboration in the semiconductor sector and boosting trade and investment ties.
Singapore is India’s largest trading partner within ASEAN and a major source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In the last financial year, Singapore invested $11.77 billion in India, making it the sixth-largest trade partner globally. Mazumdar emphasized that the PM’s visit will include an interaction with business leaders, where Modi will address CEOs and showcase India’s growth story.
Since 2000, Singapore has contributed a cumulative FDI of $160 billion into India. The visit holds particular significance, as it occurs early in Prime Minister Modi’s second term and follows the recent swearing-in of Singapore’s new Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong. Singaporeans are eager to welcome Modi, with both nations seeing this visit as an opportunity to set the stage for a vibrant bilateral future.
India and Singapore share a deep strategic partnership that spans various sectors, from a shared history to strong people-to-people ties. The recent India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable identified new areas for collaboration in digitization, skill development, sustainability, health, advanced manufacturing, and connectivity. Several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be exchanged during Prime Minister Modi’s visit, solidifying these forward-looking initiatives.
This visit also coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, set to be celebrated in 2025, and the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership.
