PM Modi holds delegation level talks with his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong
ANDALIB AKHTER / NEW DELHI
India and Singapore on Wednesday deepened their comprehensive strategic partnership with the signing of five major agreements covering civil aviation, space cooperation, skill development, digital asset innovation, and a green & digital shipping corridor. The MoUs were exchanged after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Modi underlined that the new agreements will give fresh momentum to bilateral relations, particularly in technology, innovation, skilling, and sustainable development. He stressed that the two countries will also conduct a time-bound review of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) and the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement to enhance mutual trade opportunities.
Highlighting Singapore’s role as India’s largest trading partner in Southeast Asia and a pillar of the Act East Policy, Mr. Modi said the partnership will expand into cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and digital technologies. He further noted that cooperation in green shipping, civil nuclear energy, and water management will become new priority areas.
On security, Prime Minister Modi reiterated India and Singapore’s shared resolve to fight terrorism, thanking Singapore for its solidarity following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
Prime Minister Wong emphasized expanding collaboration in frontier technologies, particularly space, pointing out that India has already launched over 20 Singapore-made satellites. He said the new MoU on space will broaden joint projects and exchanges, including in civil service cooperation.
The visit, which marks the 60th anniversary of India–Singapore diplomatic ties, also provided an opportunity to reaffirm cooperation in regional and global forums, including ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, who met Prime Minister Wong earlier, expressed confidence that the high-level talks will chart a forward-looking roadmap for bilateral ties.