India, Singapore likely to ink five pacts during PM Wong’s visit

India and Singapore are set to sign five agreements aimed at boosting cooperation in key sectors such as shipping, civil aviation, and space during Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s three-day visit to New Delhi beginning Tuesday.According to information, the overall focus of Wong’s maiden visit to India as prime minister will be to expand two-way economic engagement, building on strong complementarities between the two nations. The visit also coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India and Singapore.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and PM Wong are scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks, following which the two leaders will virtually inaugurate a container terminal in Maharashtra on Thursday. The Port of Singapore Authority (PSA International) has invested over USD 1 billion in the project, which is expected to further strengthen maritime connectivity and trade flows.“Singapore is an important partner for India, including in our ‘Act East’ Policy,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, adding that the visit reaffirms the continued commitment of both countries to strengthen their comprehensive strategic partnership.Singapore has emerged as a leading investor in India, with cumulative investment since 2014 crossing USD 175 billion, including USD 60 billion in the post-Covid period, according to official data.
Wong, accompanied by his spouse and a high-level ministerial delegation, will also call on President Droupadi Murmu. He is scheduled to meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and several other senior Union ministers,according to information.Discussions are also expected on regional and international issues of mutual interest. Both countries are exploring new areas of collaboration, including exporting solar energy from India to Singapore through an underwater cable, though technical challenges remain due to the Andaman Trench. The two sides are also considering joint projects on green ammonia and green hydrogen, along with data connectivity initiatives such as a financial regulatory “sandbox” established at Gujarat’s Gift City.Preparations for the visit were made during the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) held in New Delhi on August 13, where key Indian ministers including Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw engaged with six Singaporean ministers led by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.The agreements and projects under discussion are expected to deepen the strategic and economic partnership between the two nations, paving the way for stronger future collaboration.