During the second leg of his two-state visit, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Singapore on Friday and met with Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong. Their discussions centered on advancing the modern bilateral partnership, with a particular focus on areas such as industrial parks, innovation, and semiconductors.
Posting the details on the social media platform X, Jaishankar shared, "Started my visit to Singapore by meeting DPM & Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong".
He mentioned that the two leaders, "Discussed taking forward contemporary partnership, with a focus on industrial parks, green energy, skilling, innovation and semiconductors".
S Jaishankar with Singapore deputy PM Gan Kim Yong | Image: X/@DrSJaishankar
Jaishankar is scheduled to speak at the 8th Roundtable of the ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) includes Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
India has a robust and multifaceted relationship with ASEAN, reflected in its Act East Policy.
The External Affairs Minister will also engage with Singapore's leadership to review the close ties between the two nations and explore ways to further strengthen their bilateral relationship.
India and Singapore share a strong bilateral partnership. Singapore has played a pivotal role in reconnecting India with Southeast Asia, starting with the Look East Policy in the early 1990s. The Indian community in Singapore constitutes about 9.2% of the country’s population.
Jaishankar’s visit follows the three-day state visit of Dr. Ng Eng Hen, Singapore's Defence Minister, to India. During his visit, he co-chaired the sixth India-Singapore Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in New Delhi with India’s Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh. Singapore has been a key partner in India’s Act East Policy.
Singapore's Defence Minister Hen expressed confidence in the strong relationship between the two countries, stating, "From Singapore's perspective, India has always been part of the East. Whether you choose to act or look, we consider you part of the area."
Jaishankar is currently on a two-country visit to Australia and Singapore. His engagements in Australia, which took place from November 3 to November 7, involved discussions with various sectors of Australian society aimed at deepening the partnership between the two nations.
This visit is expected to further strengthen the strong and cordial relations India maintains with both countries.
India–Singapore relations
The bilateral relationship between the Republic of India and the Republic of Singapore has historically been robust and amicable, marked by deep cultural and commercial ties. To enhance trade, investment, and economic collaboration, India and Singapore have signed the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) along with a strategic partnership agreement. This has further led to expanded cooperation in areas such as maritime security, military training, joint naval exercises, military technology development, and counter-terrorism efforts.
Advancement of bilateral relations
Diplomatic relations between India and Singapore were established on August 24, 1965, just fifteen days after Singapore gained independence. Since then, both nations have maintained regular high-level interactions. Singapore's Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, visited India three times between 1966 and 1971 (1966, 1970, and 1971), while Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visited Singapore in 1968, as did Indian leader Morarji Desai. Singapore supported India's efforts to secure a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council and enhance its influence within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Additionally, Singapore backed India during the 1965 war with Pakistan and in the Kashmir conflict.
Military relations between the two countries were initially limited due to Cold War-era foreign policy differences, as Singapore was allied with NATO, while India was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement and the only South Asian nation to recognize the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.
In 2003, India and Singapore signed a bilateral agreement to strengthen military cooperation, including joint training, the development of military technology, and maritime security. The two navies have conducted joint exercises, such as SIMBEX and MILAN, since 1993, near India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Cooperation in counterterrorism efforts has also grown over time.
In the past two decades, Singapore has become the central hub for India’s economic, political, and strategic relations in Southeast Asia. When India launched its Look East policy in 1992, Singapore quickly positioned itself as India's de facto regional sponsor. As Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee remarked in 2006, Singapore has evolved into “the hub of its political, economic, and security strategy in the whole of East Asia.”
A 2010 Gallup poll revealed that 40% of Singaporeans approved of India's leadership, with 23% disapproving and 37% uncertain.
Following the death of Lee Kuan Yew in 2015, India observed a weekend of national mourning in honor of Singapore’s founding father. Later that year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Singapore to reaffirm the enduring bond between the two nations on the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.
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