Finance
S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister (EAM), arrived in Singapore on Sunday, marking a significant step forward in India’s diplomatic outreach and strategic engagement with Southeast Asia, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
The visit, part of a larger tour that includes China, demonstrates India’s commitment to developing bilateral relations and expanding regional cooperation.
During his visit, EAM Jaishankar met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.
The discussions focused on assessing the progress made since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, as well as the findings of the second India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable.
Key areas of collaboration included investments, industrial parks, semiconductor development, infrastructure, skill enhancement, and connectivity.
Both sides also exchanged views on regional dynamics, particularly ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific, as well as broader global developments.
A notable engagement was EAM Jaishankar’s meeting with Teo Chee Hean, former Senior Minister and Chairman-designate of Temasek Holdings.
Their dialogue focused on India’s ongoing economic transformation and the potential for Temasek to deepen its investment footprint in the country.
Temasek, a global investment firm headquartered in Singapore, has shown growing interest in India’s expanding markets, particularly in sectors like renewable energy, digital infrastructure, and healthcare.
Singapore, according to EAM Jaishankar, remains key to India’s ‘Act East Policy’, providing as a conduit for further integration with ASEAN and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
His visit underlines the ongoing high-level discussions and the strategic importance India places on its relationship with Singapore, which has grown into a strong alliance spanning trade, technology, education, and defense.
The EAM also emphasized India’s attempts to establish itself as a dependable partner in global supply chains, particularly in crucial industries such as semiconductors and renewable energy.
Singapore’s status as a financial and technology hub makes it an important collaborator in these efforts.
Following his engagements in Singapore, EAM Jaishankar will proceed to Tianjin, China, to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting.
His participation in the SCO conference is scheduled to involve bilateral discussions aimed at stabilizing India-China relations and strengthening multilateral cooperation under the Eurasian Framework.
