Singapore: Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has announced that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon visit Singapore on an official visit. He said this after a high-level meeting here to advance the strategic relations of senior ministers of India and Singapore. A four-member Indian delegation including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav participated in the second India-Singapore Ministerial Round Table Conference (ISMR) here on Monday to discuss bilateral cooperation and exchange views on issues of mutual interest.
Date of PM Modi’s visit not fixed
Describing this meeting of the ministers as “positive”, Balakrishnan said that this has also set the stage for Prime Minister Modi’s official visit to Singapore. He said here, “We are also working on this because very soon we will also announce the official visit of Prime Minister Modi to Singapore. I cannot tell you the exact date, but it is going to happen soon.” Balakrishnan said advanced manufacturing and semiconductors, as well as aviation and maritime connectivity, are new areas that Singapore and India have included at this high-level forum to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation.
Growing partnership with India in many areas
On Monday, the Indian-origin minister said the two countries want to cooperate on advanced manufacturing and semiconductors. This is an area in which India wants to expand significantly, and in which Singapore is contributing far beyond its capacity. The Singapore foreign minister said the aviation sector in India is expected to grow tremendously in the coming years, with India placing orders for more than 1,000 aircraft last year alone. He said it presents great opportunities for services such as maintenance and air operations in the coming years. This is another specific area where Singapore and its companies are globally competitive. He said, “A country with more than 1.4 billion people is now moving towards a massive reform in its aviation sector. “This is a once in two, three decade opportunity, and it’s great that we’re kind of on the front lines and have a chance (to collaborate).”
