Singapore: Wary of China, PMs Modi and Wong elevate ties to “comprehensive strategic partnership”
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: After his successful visit to the island nation of Brunei at the edge of the South China Sea, the first by an Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong elevated the bilateral ties to a “comprehensive strategic partnership,” the media reported on Thursday.
Soon after arrival from Brunei, PM Modi was accorded a red-carpet welcome on Wednesday at the Singapore Parliament House. He also signed the visitor’s book there. Before their official meeting, PM Wong hosted a dinner for the Indian PM.
“A new chapter in – ties: Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established. PM @narendramodi and PM @LawrenceWongST held a productive meeting in Singapore today,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X after the meeting.
“The leaders agreed to elevate the bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They extensively reviewed various facets of the bilateral relationship covering areas of Advanced Manufacturing, Connectivity, Digitalisation, Healthcare & Medicine, Skills Development and Sustainability,” he said.
The meeting between the two leaders comes months after Wong took over as premier and Modi began his third term as the Indian PM in June.
They also oversaw the exchange of four MoUs after the talks. Later in the day, PM Modi will also call on Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
He met Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. Lee hosted a lunch for PM Modi.
The Indian PM will also interact with Singaporean business leaders and those in the country’s semiconductor ecosystem.
Besides, the two PMs will visit a semiconductor manufacturing facility.
PM Modi flew into Singapore on Wednesday after wrapping his visit to Brunei.
He was accorded a warm welcome by the Indian community on his in Singapore.
