Diplomacy
India PM Narendra Modi meets with PM Lawrence Wong; Four MoUs signed
India’s PM Modi visited Singapore, signing four MoUs with PM Wong to boost cooperation in digital technology, semiconductors, healthcare, and education. The visit strengthens bilateral ties and elevates their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, enhancing economic and diplomatic relations.
SINGAPORE: India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, arrived in Singapore on Wednesday (4 Sept) for an official visit at the invitation of Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Accompanied by Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and other senior officials, PM Modi’s visit marks a significant step in the strengthening of India-Singapore relations, ahead of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of their bilateral strategic partnership, both set to be celebrated in 2025.
On Thursday (5 Sept), PM Modi and PM Wong held talks in Singapore City, resulting in the signing of four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at bolstering cooperation across various sectors.
These agreements signal the elevation of their bilateral ties to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”
The agreements were exchanged in the presence of PM Modi and PM Wong at Singapore’s Parliament House, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan representing their respective countries.
The first MoU, signed between Singapore’s Ministry of Digital Development and Information and India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, focuses on enhancing cooperation in digital technologies, such as Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), cybersecurity, 5G, and emerging technologies like supercomputing, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence.
It also includes initiatives for upskilling and reskilling workers in the digital domain.
India-Singapore Partnership in Semiconductor Industry
The second MoU, signed between India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, establishes a partnership in the semiconductor sector.
The agreement will facilitate collaboration on semiconductor cluster development and talent nurturing, as well as investments by Singaporean companies in India’s semiconductor industry.
The third MoU, signed between India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Singapore’s Ministry of Health, aims to promote cooperation in health and medicine.
It includes joint efforts in research and innovation, human resource development in healthcare, and support for Indian healthcare professionals in Singapore.
The fourth MoU, signed between India’s Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Singapore’s Ministry of Education, focuses on educational cooperation and skills development, particularly in technical and vocational education and training.
This agreement complements ongoing initiatives between the two nations in skill development.
Following the discussions, PM Modi expressed his satisfaction with the talks in a post on social media platform X, highlighting the focus on cooperation in areas such as skilling, technology, healthcare, and artificial intelligence.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India also released a statement noting that the two leaders reviewed the progress of India-Singapore bilateral relations and decided to elevate their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a move expected to significantly boost India’s Act East Policy.
PM Modi also congratulated PM Wong on his recent appointment as Singapore’s Prime Minister, expressing confidence in the continued progress of Singapore under the leadership of its fourth-generation leaders.
The MEA further emphasized Singapore’s role as a leading economic partner for India, with investments totaling around US$150 billion in the Indian economy.
The two leaders also reviewed cooperation in defense, security, maritime domain awareness, education, financial technology, new technology domains, science and technology, and knowledge partnership.
They emphasized the importance of strengthening connectivity between the two countries to enhance economic and people-to-people ties.
On 5 September, PM Modi also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and senior ministers.
He will also engage with Singaporean business leaders and hold discussions with key figures in the semiconductor sector.
