India and Singapore Elevate Ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Focus on Semiconductors and Innovation

India and Singapore Strengthen Ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership | Delhi News - Times of India

New Delhi: India and Singapore upgraded bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership as PM Narendra Modi held talks with his counterpart Lawrence Wong to boost cooperation in a range of areas from advanced manufacturing and digitalisation to skills and healthcare. Four MoUs were signed, including one for establishing a semiconductor ecosystem partnership that was hailed as a major takeaway from Modi's first visit to the country in six years. Amid growing concerns over Chinese assertiveness, the leaders also reaffirmed in a joint statement the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea (SCS).Agreeing that regional security and stability was essential for the growth of both nations, they called for pursuing peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS, without resorting to the threat or use of force. Interestingly, and probably for the first time, an India-Singapore joint statement specifically mentioned not just SCS but also Quad as both nations welcomed Quad's support for Asean centrality, including its agenda to support priorities and needs of countries in the Indo-Pacific region, and explored synergies for mutually beneficial cooperation. This follows the recent threat of a military conflict between China and the Philippines in SCS. A non-claimant country in SCS disputes, Singapore has traditionally avoided taking sides in the US-China rivalry in Southeast Asia, balancing its ties with Beijing with robust military and security cooperation with the US. Singapore's remarks with India on SCS and Quad also followed a joint naval exercise with China this week that underscored its "longstanding and friendly" defence ties with Beijing. India and Singapore are looking to enhance bilateral cooperation through advanced manufacturing, with focus on semiconductors. Modi and Wong also visited AEM, a leading Singapore company in semiconductor and electronics sector. "Both Prime Ministers agreed that advanced manufacturing, particularly in developing resilient semiconductor supply chains, can be a new pillar of bilateral cooperation," said a joint statement. MoUs were signed for cooperation also in healthcare, skill development and digitisation, affirming common interests in AI and cyber security.

India, Singapore decide to go big on chips, sign MoUs after PM Modi visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singapore's Lawrence Wong agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They signed MoUs for cooperation in semiconductors, digital technologies, skill development, and healthcare. Modi highlighted Singapore's significant investment in India and the potential for further collaboration in various sectors, including defence, education, and green projects.Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong on Thursday agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as the two countries signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) for cooperation in semiconductors, digital technologies, skill development and healthcare. The two leaders acknowledged the robust progress in bilateral economic ties and called for further expanding trade and investment flows between the two countries. "Singapore is not merely a partner country; it serves as an inspiration for every developing nation. We also aim to create multiple Singapores within India," Modi said during his bilateral meeting with Wong. With an investment of around $160 billion in the Indian economy, Singapore is a leading economic partner for India, Modi said, adding that India's rapid and sustained growth continues to offer immense investment opportunities for Singaporean entities. The leaders also reviewed cooperation in the fields of defence and security, maritime domain awareness, education, artificial intelligence, fintech, new technology domains, science and technology and knowledge partnership, officials said. They agreed to strengthen connectivity between the countries to enhance economic and people-to-people ties. They also called for acceleration in green corridor projects. The leaders discussed the outcome of the second India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable held in Singapore last month and appreciated the work done by senior ministers from both sides in deliberating and identifying a new agenda for bilateral cooperation. They called for accelerated action under the pillars of cooperation identified during the roundtable - advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitalisation, healthcare & medicine, skills development and sustainability, officials said. Officials said Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Singapore will give a boost to India's Act East policy. The leaders also exchanged views on important regional and global issues of mutual interest, including India-Asean relations and India's vision for the Indo-Pacific, and reiterated their determination to work together to maintain peace, stability, growth and prosperity in the region and beyond. Later in the day, Modi and Wong visited a manufacturing plant of AEM, a leading semiconductor company. They were briefed about AEM's role in the global semiconductor value chain and its plans for India. Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association gave a briefing on the development of the semiconductor ecosystem in Singapore and opportunities for collaboration with India. Representatives of several other companies from this sector were also present. Modi invited the Singaporean semiconductor companies to participate in the Semicon India exhibition to be held in Greater Noida next week. At the facility, the two PMs interacted with Indian interns from Odisha's World Skill Centre undergoing training in Singapore as well as Singaporean interns who had visited India under the CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme and Indian engineers working at AEM. Modi announced that India's first Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre would be opened in Singapore. He also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, former PM Lee Hsien Loong, and emeritus senior minister Goh Chok Tong.

India, Singapore announce agreements on semiconductors, healthcare

Speaking at a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the two sides will continue working together for regional peace, stability and prosperity. Modi arrived in Singapore on Wednesday on the second leg of a two-nation Southeast Asian tour, after making the first bilateral visit to Brunei by an Indian premier. He described Singapore as an "important anchor" for India's Act East policy launched a decade ago. "Singapore is not just a partner country. Singapore is an inspiration for every developing country. We want to create many Singapores in India," Modi said, speaking in Hindi. Referring to achievements by the two sides in the past 10 years, including investments increasing nearly three-fold to $160 billion and the launch of real-time digital payments, Modi said: "I am happy that today we are together giving our relations the shape of a comprehensive strategic partnership." Also Read: Singapore PM Lawrence Wong hosts PM Modi for private dinner ahead of talks Following talks between the two premiers, India and Singapore announced four agreements on semiconductors, digital cooperation, healthcare and medical research, and education and skill development. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) on a semiconductor ecosystem partnership envisages cooperation to support India's growing semiconductor industry while facilitating Singapore's companies and supply chains to enter the Indian market. The MoU will create a platform to better connect and strengthen the complementary semiconductor ecosystems of the two sides. The MoU on cooperation in digital technology will encourage greater interoperability between the digital economies of the two countries and build on earlier work such as the linking of the digital payment systems of India and Singapore. The main areas of cooperation under this MoU are data flows and data protection, digital utilities and digital public infrastructure, cyber-security and business-to-business linkages. Under the MoU on education and skill development, the two sides will cooperate on technical and vocational education and training, while the MoU on healthcare and medical research envisages cooperation in disease surveillance, pandemic preparedness and prevention of communicable diseases. Modi's visit followed a meeting last month of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, which identified areas for cooperation such as skilling, digitalisation, mobility, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, AI, healthcare, sustainability, and cyber-security. Modi pointed to other areas where the two sides have made progress, saying 17 satellites of Singapore were launched from India in the past 10 years, while cooperation in defence has gained momentum. An agreement between Singapore Airlines and Air India has strengthened connectivity, he said. The 350,000 people of Indian origin living in Singapore act as the "strong foundation" of bilateral relations, and India is "forever grateful to the whole of Singapore for the place and respect that Subhash Chandra Bose, Azad Hind Fauj and Little India have received", Modi said. He suggested the two sides should come up with an action plan to mark 60 years of diplomatic ties in 2025. "I am very happy to inform you that India's first Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre will soon be opened in Singapore. The great saint Thiruvalluvar has given guiding thoughts to the world in the most ancient language, Tamil," he added. Modi and Wong visited AEM, a leading Singaporean company in the semiconductor and electronics sector, and were briefed about the firm's role in the global semiconductor value chain and its plans for India. The Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association made a presentation on the development of the semiconductor ecosystem in Singapore and opportunities for collaboration with India. Also in Modi's schedule were meetings with senior minister Lee Hsien Long, emeritus senior minister Goh Chok Tong and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and a CEOs roundtable to forge closer trade and investment ties. Singapore is currently India's largest trade partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the sixth largest trade partner worldwide. Besides, Singapore was the largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) into India in 2023, and its cumulative investments since 2000 are worth $160 billion.

PM Modi in Singapore: PM Modi meets Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong

During his opening remarks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Singapore is not only a partner nation but it is an inspiration for every developing country; he thanked Wong for the warm welcome India and Singapore on Thursday elevated their bilateral ties to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" and signed four MoUs, as PM Modi in Singapore held talks with his counterpart Lawrence Wong, reported news agency PTI. ADVERTISEMENT During his opening remarks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Singapore is not only a partner nation but it is an inspiration for every developing country. "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 - ties to 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. PM Modi in Singapore thanked Wong for the warm welcome. "This is our first meeting after you assumed the post of premier. Many congratulations to you from my side. I am confident that under the leadership of 4G (the fourth-generation leaders), Singapore will progress even faster," PM Modi said, reported PTI. "We also want to create many Singapores in India and I am happy that we are working together in this direction. The ministerial roundtable that has been formed between us is a path-breaking mechanism," he said. He said the partnership between the two nations in skilling, digitalisation, mobility, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, Artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare, sustainability and cyber security has become an identity of this mechanism, reported PTI. "The discussions with my friend, PM Lawrence Wong continued today. Our talks focused on boosting cooperation in areas like skilling, technology, healthcare, AI and more. We both agreed on the need to boost trade relations," PM Modi said in a post on X after the talks. PM Modi is here on a two-day visit at the invitation of Wong. Ahead of the talks with Wong, PM Modi received a red carpet-welcome at the Singapore Parliament House. He also signed the visitor's book there. The meeting between the two leaders comes months after Wong took over as premier and Modi began his third term as prime minister, reported PTI. The two leaders also oversaw the exchange of four MoUs after the talks. Later in the day, Prime Minister Modi will also call on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, reported PTI. He would call on Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. Lee will host a lunch for PM Modi, reported PTI. PM Modi will also meet with Singaporean business leaders and interact with those in the country's semiconductor ecosystem, reported PTI. PM Modi and Wong will also visit a semiconductor manufacturing facility. PM Modi flew to Singapore on Wednesday after wrapping his visit to Brunei, the first bilateral visit there by an Indian prime minister. He was accorded a warm welcome by the Indian community on his arrival Singapore.

India wants to create multiple Singapores within itself: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging bilateral talks with his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong, focussing on areas such as advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitalisation and healthcare & medicine, and said that India aimed to create multiple 'Singapores' within itself. "Singapore is not merely a partner country; it serves as an inspiration for every developing nation. We also aim to create multiple 'Singapores' within India. I am pleased that we are collaborating towards this goal. The ministerial roundtable we have established is a path-breaking mechanism," Modi said during his talks with Wong in Singapore on Thursday. Collaborative initiatives have been identified in areas such as skilling, digitalisation, mobility, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and AI, healthcare, sustainability and cybersecurity, the Indian PM said. Modi, who concluded his two-day visit to the country on Thursday, also met Singapore's President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and interacted with the chiefs of top businesses such as Temasek Holdings, DBS Group, Singapore Airlines, GIC Pvt Ltd, SingTel and Changi Airport Group. "Over the past 10 years, our trade has more than doubled. Mutual investment has increased almost three-fold to cross $150 billion. Singapore was the first country with which we launched the UPI Person-to-Person payment facility," Modi said during his meeting with Wong. Elevating ties The two leaders agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" which India hopes would also give a major boost to its Act East Policy. "They also reviewed existing cooperation in the fields of defence and security, maritime domain awareness, education, AI, Fintech, new technology domains, science and technology and knowledge partnership. The two leaders called for strengthening connectivity between the countries to enhance economic and people-to-people ties. They also called for acceleration in green corridor projects," according to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. Both leaders witnessed exchange of MoUs for cooperation in semiconductors, digital technologies, skill development and healthcare, which were the outcomes of the deliberations during the two rounds of India-Singapore Ministerial roundtables held so far. Modi and Wong called for accelerated action under the pillars of cooperation identified during the Ministerial roundtables -- advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitalisation, healthcare & medicine, skills development and sustainability. In his meeting with businesses, the Prime Minister acknowledged the role played by the Singaporean industry leaders in strengthening bilateral relations and promoting economic cooperation between India and Singapore. Modi announced the setting up of an 'Invest India' office in Singapore to further facilitate their collaboration with India, per the statement. The PM said the elevation of India-Singapore ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership would give a major thrust to bilateral economic relations. SHARE Copy linkEmailFacebookTwitterTelegramLinkedInWhatsAppRedditPublished on September 5, 2024