India-Singapore Ties Ready For Next Level: S Jaishankar Ahead Of Modi Visit
Modi is on a two-nation visit from Sept. 3-5, starting with Brunei.
This is the ideal moment to advance bilateral relationship between India and Singapore, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Tuesday, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country.
With the ongoing transformation in India and the evolving global landscape, it is crucial for the relationship to become more contemporary, the minister noted.
"This is one of the reasons why Prime Minister Modi has chosen to visit Singapore early in his third term," he told The Straits Times in an interview. The bilateral ties between India and Singapore have been notably robust over the past 20 years, he said.
Modi is on a two-nation visit from Sept. 3-5, starting with Brunei.
The prime minister said he looked forward to his discussions to "deepen our strategic partnership with Singapore", particularly in new and emerging areas of advanced manufacturing, digitisation, and sustainable development.
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Just like Singapore had an opportunity in 1992 and then again in 2006, it should seize the moment and fully utilise the new landscape, Jaishankar said.
"Sometimes, to be honest, I feel that impressions at your end are somewhat dated...In India, we are using the achievements of the last decade as the springboard to accelerate national growth and modernisation," he said.
Responding to a question as to where India would like to take the bilateral relationship, the minister said, "We have come a long way since then. As I pointed out, the time is ripe to move to the next level of our ties, reflecting current realities in both countries, as well as the state of the world."
Where Singapore’s approach to India is concerned, it could start with the appreciation of the last decade of growth, recovery from Covid and the country’s rapid digitisation, while also taking into account the advances in infrastructure, the focus on manufacturing and the availability of talent, the minister said.
These issues were also discussed at the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable last week—a preparatory to Modi’s visit to the city-state.
"I would particularly single out those technologies promising for the future such as semiconductors, green technologies and electric mobility. We also need to collaboratively think about the future of connectivity and energy flows," Jaishankar said.
Modi is due to meet leaders of Singapore's business community during the visit.
(With inputs from PTI).
