- PM Wong to meet PM Modi as both nations advance Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
- Expected MOUs cover skill development, finance, aviation, space, and shipping.
- Discussions to reinforce cooperation under ISMR pillars such as digitalization, healthcare, and sustainability.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is set to visit India soon, and anticipation is growing for the memorandums of understanding (MOUs) that will be signed by both nations.
PM Wong is set to hold a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who last visited Singapore nearly a year ago, from September 4 to 5, 2024.
During Mr Modi’s visit, the leaders of both countries “agreed to elevate the Singapore-India Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, to reflect the commitment of both sides to further deepen and broaden the bilateral relationship,” the Prime Minister’s Office said at the time.
He was joined by Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo, Minister for Manpower and Minister-in-charge of Energy, and Science and Technology Dr Tan See Leng, along with Acting Minister for Transport and Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow.
The Indian delegation featured Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
The six foundations of the ISMR are advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitalization, healthcare and medicine, skill enhancement, and sustainability.
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India’s Economic Times reported that sources indicated the MOUs during PM Wong’s forthcoming visit are expected to focus on skill development, finance and digital transformation, civil aviation, space partnerships, and shipping.
The ministers from both countries evaluated the advancement of several bilateral cooperation initiatives under these pillars during the meeting on August 13.
In Southeast Asia, Singapore is India's main trading partner, achieving a trade total of US$34.27 billion (S$43.97 billion) in the last fiscal year.
From 2014 to 2024, Singapore's overall investments in India amounted to approximately US$159 billion (S$204 billion). By the conclusion of 2025, this figure is projected to rise to approximately US$175 billion (S$224 billion), with the Economic Times highlighting the growth of Singaporean investments in India in recent years.