PM Modi to boost ties with Singapore

Even though there have been diplomatic relations between Brunei and India for 40 years, PM Modi’s visit will be the first ever by an Indian head of state.

After visiting Brunei, Prime Minister Modi will go to Singapore for a two-day visit on September 4–5. While there, he will meet with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong of Singapore.

The Prime Minister announced in a statement on X that he would be visiting Brunei Darussalam and Singapore over the following two days before starting the two-nation tour. The goal of these visits will be to further strengthen India’s relations with these countries.”

On the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, PM Modi traveled to Brunei. The goal of the visit is to increase bilateral collaboration in a number of areas, such as space technology, trade, energy, and defense.

The Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) Secretary (East), Jaideep Mazumdar, stated that Brunei and India are attempting to form a “joint working group in defence.”

Diplomatic connections between Brunei Darussalam and India conclude 40 magnificent years. Before leaving, the prime minister tweeted, “I am excited to meet His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.

The Singapore agenda of PM Modi

Early in his third tenure as prime minister, PM Modi made his first visit to Singapore in almost six years. With a new leader in Singapore, the visit, according to the MEA, comes at a critical moment and presents a chance to strengthen bilateral ties even further.

During a press briefing, MEA Jaideep Mazumdar stated, “New anchors of our partnership have been identified under the India-Singapore ministerial roundtable framework.”

He said that there has been a “evolution” in the relationship between the two countries, pointing to the consistent rise in investment and trade, strong defense cooperation, and expanding exchanges in culture and education.

Digitalization, sustainability, health, and advanced manufacturing were among the futuristic areas of cooperation that were discussed recently during the India-Singapore ministerial roundtable, according to Mazumdar. During Modi’s visit, a number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are anticipated, especially in sectors like semiconductors, green hydrogen, renewable energy, and food security.

Within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Singapore is India’s principal trading partner and a major provider of foreign direct investment (FDI). With $11.77 billion in FDI, Singapore was India’s largest provider of FDI during the previous fiscal year.