PM Modi to visit Singapore soon: Foreign Minister Balakrishnan

Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to Singapore shortly, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has announced, after senior ministers of India and Singapore concluded a high-level meeting here to further their strategic ties. A four-member Indian delegation comprising Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal,

and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw participated in the second India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) here on Monday to discuss bilateral cooperation and exchange views on issues of mutual interests. Describing the ministers-only meeting as “productive”, Balakrishnan said it also sets the stage for an official visit to Singapore by Prime Minister Modi. "We are also working on all this because very shortly, we will be announcing an Official Visit by Prime Minister Modi to Singapore as well. I cannot give you the specific date, but it will occur shortly," he told reporters here.

Balakrishnan said advanced manufacturing and semiconductors, as well as aviation and maritime connectivity, are new areas that Singapore and India have added to the high-level platform for discussing ways to enhance bilateral cooperation. Senior ministers from the two countries held a "productive" round of discussions at the second multi-ministerial roundtable here and explored how the two countries can boost bilateral cooperation in digital, skill development, sustainability, healthcare, connectivity and advanced manufacturing.