Modi likely to visit Singapore, Brunei first week of September

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be visiting Singapore and Brunei during the first week of September. PM Modi’s last visit to Singapore was in 2018.

Singapore’s Foreign Minister, Vivian Balakrishnan had said that the recently concluded High-level India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) meeting between India and Singapore had laid the ground for PM Modi’s visit.

“New ideas for cooperation are being pursued, including in advanced manufacturing and connectivity. These initiatives will pave the way for closer strategic cooperation and partnership between India and Singapore,” said Singapore’s Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong on Monday.

Advanced manufacturing, semiconductors as well as aviation maritime connectivity are the new areas that were added to the ISMR.

Singapore has been a major source of FDI in India. In 2023-24 Singapore’s FDI for India was estimated at USD 11.77 billion in inflows. The cumulative inflow of FDI from Singapore from April 2000 to March 2024 was USD 159.94 billion.

Meanwhile, the recently concluded high-level ISMR meeting from the Indian side included Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, and Ashwini Vaishnaw Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

This was the second time that ministers from the two nations met at the ISMR after it was launched in September 2022 by the then Deputy PM of Singapore Lawrence Wong during a five-day India visit.

“We explored India-Singapore cooperation in digital, skill development, sustainability, healthcare, connectivity and advanced manufacturing,” said Dr Jaishankar.

After Singapore, PM Modi will visit Brunei Darussalam. PM Modi and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah first met on the sidelines of the 25th ASEAN Summit at Nay Pyi Taw in November 2014, and then on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in November in 2017 in Manila.

Brunei Darussalam was the country coordinator for India in ASEAN from July 2012 to June 2015 and played an important role in bringing India closer to ASEAN, and they have been supportive of India in various international organisations.