In this image posted on Oct. 4, 2025, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal during a meeting with a visiting Indian business delegation, in Singapore. Photo: X@PiyushGoyal via PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi on Thursday. Photo: DPR PMO via ANI

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival on an official visit to Singapore, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Tuesday (September 3, 2024) said the time is ripe for the two countries to take their bilateral relationship to the next level.

“Given the transformation underway in India and the changes in the world, they need to become more contemporary. In many ways, that is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen to visit Singapore so early in his third term,” The Straits Times quoted Mr. Jaishankar as saying in an interview.

He said that India and Singapore’s bilateral ties “have been extremely strong in the last two decades”.

Just like Singapore had an opportunity in 1992 and then again in 2006, it should seize the moment and fully utilise the new landscape, the Minister said.

“Sometimes, to be honest, I feel that impressions at your end are somewhat dated,” Mr. Jaishankar pointed out.

“In India, we are using the achievements of the last decade as the springboard to accelerate national growth and modernisation,” the Minister said.

Beyond the bilateral ties, there is also the issue of closer collaboration in a volatile and uncertain world. “In this regard, we must recognise that ours is a partnership based on a high degree of trust and understanding,” the Minister said.

“These characteristics enable us to share assessments and explore our convergences,” he added.

The Prime Minister has always had a special sentiment for Singapore and that leadership connect will matter more than ever before, underscored Mr. Jaishankar who has served as India’s High Commissioner to Singapore and has a very good understanding of the city-state.

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 digitalisation, 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 PM 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,” Mr. Jaishankar stressed.

The Minister also drew on the Covid experience to flag India’s relevance to food and health security, saying: “As regards the global scenario, we have built on the ‘Act East’ policy to now have a full-fledged Indo-Pacific commitment.” Mr. Jaishankar said there is a new equilibrium in the making and India will certainly play its part. “This is very much in the interest of Singapore and ASEAN.” “In an era where we will witness deficits in regard to global commons, our relationship can make a bigger difference,” he said.

The Minister also commented on a perception that India’s principal focus in its extended neighbourhood is now the Gulf, not ASEAN. “I would not take an ‘either-or’ approach. Certainly, in the last decade, India’s ties with Gulf nations have really taken off.” “Earlier governments used to view them more narrowly from the perspective of trade, energy and diaspora. In contrast, the Modi government’s policies have extended to investments, technology, security and connectivity,” he pointed out.

“We definitely feel that the contributions of our community are more strongly recognised [in the Gulf]. Both the economic and demographic complementarities are today coming into much greater play.

“But because of this, I would not draw any conclusions in regard to Asean. In fact, our ties have deepened as well in this very period.” Mr. Jaishankar underscored the fact that India — the most populous country and currently the fifth-largest economy — will necessarily have multi-directional engagements. “The world is not a zero-sum game for us.” The Minister also elaborated on Singapore being once the springboard of India’s ‘Look East’ policy.

“Obviously, Singapore, which was at the core of our ‘Look East’ policy, has an equally central role in the ‘Act East’ policy as well. If you look at the new domains that reflect this evolution, Singapore’s partnership in security, connectivity, technology and sustainability is evident.” The ‘Act East’ policy is certainly very active for a variety of reasons, he stressed, adding that Southeast Asia itself has much-untapped potential and its demographics and growth prospects make it a long-term partner.

“Imagine for example what a change the Trilateral Highway [plan to connect India with Myanmar and Thailand] can make when completed,” he pointed out.

“It is also a relationship which is indispensable for India’s Indo-Pacific engagement. I would confidently predict a bright future.

PM Modi will travel to Singapore on Wednesday (September 4, 2024).

He said he looked forward to meeting President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in Singapore.

PM Modi will also meet leaders of Singapore’s business community.

Singapore:

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival on an official visit to Singapore, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday said the time is ripe for the two countries to take their bilateral relationship to the next level.

“Given the transformation underway in India and the changes in the world, they need to become more contemporary. In many ways, that is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen to visit Singapore so early in his third term,” The Straits Times quoted Mr Jaishankar as saying in an interview.

He said that India and Singapore’s bilateral ties “have been extremely strong in the last two decades”.

Just like Singapore had an opportunity in 1992 and then again in 2006, it should seize the moment and fully utilise the new landscape, the minister said.

“Sometimes, to be honest, I feel that impressions at your end are somewhat dated,” Mr Jaishankar pointed out.

“In India, we are using the achievements of the last decade as the springboard to accelerate national growth and modernisation,” the minister said.

Beyond the bilateral ties, there is also the issue of closer collaboration in a volatile and uncertain world. “In this regard, we must recognise that ours is a partnership based on a high degree of trust and understanding,” the minister said.

“These characteristics enable us to share assessments and explore our convergences,” he added.

The prime minister has always had a special sentiment for Singapore and that leadership connect will matter more than ever before, underscored Mr Jaishankar who has served as India’s High Commissioner to Singapore and has a very good understanding of the city-state.

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 digitalisation, 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 PM 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,” Mr Jaishankar stressed.

The minister also drew on the Covid experience to flag India’s relevance to food and health security, saying: “As regards the global scenario, we have built on the ‘Act East’ policy to now have a full-fledged Indo-Pacific commitment.” Mr Jaishankar said there is a new equilibrium in the making and India will certainly play its part. “This is very much in the interest of Singapore and ASEAN.” “In an era where we will witness deficits in regard to global commons, our relationship can make a bigger difference,” he said.

The minister also commented on a perception that India’s principal focus in its extended neighbourhood is now the Gulf, not ASEAN. “I would not take an ‘either-or’ approach. Certainly, in the last decade, India’s ties with Gulf nations have really taken off.” “Earlier governments used to view them more narrowly from the perspective of trade, energy and diaspora. In contrast, the Modi government’s policies have extended to investments, technology, security and connectivity,” he pointed out.

“We definitely feel that the contributions of our community are more strongly recognised (in the Gulf). Both the economic and demographic complementarities are today coming into much greater play.

“But because of this, I would not draw any conclusions in regard to Asean. In fact, our ties have deepened as well in this very period.” Mr Jaishankar underscored the fact that India — the most populous country and currently the fifth-largest economy — will necessarily have multi-directional engagements. “The world is not a zero-sum game for us.” The minister also elaborated on Singapore being once the springboard of India’s ‘Look East’ policy.

“Obviously, Singapore, which was at the core of our ‘Look East’ policy, has an equally central role in the ‘Act East’ policy as well. If you look at the new domains that reflect this evolution, Singapore’s partnership in security, connectivity, technology and sustainability is evident.” The ‘Act East’ policy is certainly very active for a variety of reasons, he stressed, adding that Southeast Asia itself has much-untapped potential and its demographics and growth prospects make it a long-term partner.

“Imagine for example what a change the Trilateral Highway (plan to connect India with Myanmar and Thailand) can make when completed,” he pointed out.

“It is also a relationship which is indispensable for India’s Indo-Pacific engagement. I would confidently predict a bright future.

pm Modi will travel to Singapore on Wednesday.

He said he looked forward to meeting President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in Singapore.

Modi will also meet leaders of Singapore’s business community. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on an official visit to Singapore on September 4, 5 to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations. The prime minister’s visit comes a fortnight after the high-level roundtable between top ministers of both countries.

“Ties between India and Singapore are poised to take-off to an entirely new level of cooperation,” the Ministry of External Affairs said at the special briefing about the Prime Minister’s visit.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Singapore comes after six years, said Secretary East, Ministry of External Affairs, Jaideep Mazumdar. India and Singapore are looking to significantly enhance their cooperation in the semiconductor sector, he added.

He also said that the PM’s visit to Singapore is “important for trade and investment”.

Singapore is India’s largest trade partner in ASEAN. It is also a leading source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the last financial year with an investment of $11.77 billion in 2023 alone,” he said, adding that Singapore is India’s sixth largest trade partner worldwide.

During his two-day visit, Prime Minister Modi will also address CEOs, he said.

“Investments have also been very large. Since 2000 till now, we have an accumulative FDI of USD 160 billion dollars. There will be an interaction with business leaders in the PM’s visit. This will be an important element of the visit as Prime Minister will address the CEOs in his visit, where they will hear India’s growth story first hand,” Mr Mazumdar said.

“His [PM Modi’s] first visit to Singapore was in his first term as the Prime Minister. This visit is of great significance as it’s his visit early in his term, and also as the new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has taken oath recently and Singaporeans are excited to welcome PM Modi. This is an opportune time to set the stage for India-Singapore’s vibrant bilateral relations for the next stage of India-Singapore bilateral relations. Our ties have evolved and we have a dynamic strategic partnership encompassing diverse areas from our shared history and people-to-people ties, which form an important link between us,” he added.

Speaking about the special roundtable framework shared by the two nations, he said “We have identified new anchors of our partnership under the India-Singapore ministerial roundtable framework. The visit will also take place in the light of our 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations which we’re celebrating in 2025 and 10th year of our strategic partnership with Singapore.”

“During the recently concluded India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, which is a unique forum between ministers on both sides on diverse areas, a number of new forward-looking futuristic areas were identified in digitization, skill, sustainability, health, advanced manufacturing and connectivity. We are likely to exchange a number of MoUs in these areas in the forthcoming visit of the PM,” he said.
 

New Delhi:

In view of the “special relationship” with Singapore, India has decided to allow the export of rice to “meet the food security requirements” of the Southeast nation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

“India and Singapore enjoy a very close strategic partnership, characterized by shared interests, close economic ties and strong people-to-people connect. In view of this special relationship, India has decided to allow the export of rice to meet the food security requirements of Singapore,” said MEA official spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi on Tuesday in response to media queries on rice export to Singapore.

“Formal orders in this regard will be issued shortly,” Mr Bagchi added.

India on August 27 introduced additional safeguards on exports of basmati rice so as to prevent exports of non-basmati white rice, which is presently under the prohibited category.

Last Sunday, the government said it has received credible field reports regarding misclassification and illegal export of non-basmati white rice.

“It has been reported that non-basmati white rice is being exported under the HS codes of parboiled rice and basmati rice,” the government said in a statement.

Notably, the export of non-basmati white rice was prohibited from July 20 to check the domestic prices and ensure domestic food security. The government noticed that despite restrictions put on certain varieties, rice exports have been high during the current year.

The central government on July 20 amended the rice export norms putting the non-basmati white rice in the “prohibited” category.

The export policy relating to non-basmati white rice (semi-milled or wholly milled rice, whether or not polished or glazed) has been revised from “free” to “prohibited” and it has come into force immediately, a Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) notification said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)