From shipping to semiconductors, India and Singapore ramp up ties
Joint statement speaks of India’s interest to join Malacca Straits patrolling.
4 min read
PM Narendra Modi with his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong at the Hyderabad House in Delhi, Thursday. (Express photo by Anil Sharma)The prime Ministers of India and Singapore Thursday agreed to adopt a forward-looking and substantive roadmap aimed at setting the vision and direction for the next phase of bilateral relations — and deepen cooperation in eight key areas: economy, skills development, digitalisation, sustainability, connectivity, healthcare and medicine, people-to-people and cultural exchanges; and, defence and security.
“Our relations go far beyond diplomacy. This is a partnership with purpose, rooted in shared values, guided by mutual interests, and driven by a common vision for peace, progress and prosperity,” PM Narendra Modi said after a meeting with his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong.
Pointing out that bilateral ties had been elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during his visit to Singapore last year, Modi said, “…today, we have prepared a detailed roadmap for the future of our partnership. Our cooperation will not be limited to traditional sectors. In line with changing times, areas such as advanced manufacturing, green shipping, skilling, civil nuclear and urban water management will also become focal points of our collaboration.”
He said the Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership agreement signed last year has given a new direction to research and development. The increased participation of Singaporean companies in the ‘Semicon India’ conference is a significant development, Modi said.
According to a joint statement, the two leaders agreed to “support the growth of India’s semiconductor industry and ecosystem, including through cooperation under the India-Singapore Semiconductor Policy Dialogue; facilitating partnerships with Singapore companies; advancing resilient semiconductor supply chains; exploring mutually beneficial research and development collaborations; promoting workforce development; and encouraging business-to-business cooperation…”
On defence and security, the statement said they will deepen technology cooperation in emerging areas such as Quantum Computing, AI, Automation and Unmanned Vessels.
It also said that “Singapore acknowledges with appreciation India’s interest in the Malacca Straits Patrol”. Both sides agreed to continue cooperation in maritime security and submarine rescue, and strengthen cooperation in Maritime Domain Awareness.
“Technology and innovation are the strong pillars of our partnership. We have decided to enhance collaboration in AI, quantum computing, and other digital technologies,” Modi said.
The joint statement said they agreed to explore collaboration opportunities in “critical and emerging technologies, to promote innovation, inclusive and sustainable economic growth” under the Joint Working Group on Digital Technologies.
They will also explore cooperation on “Artificial Intelligence through the sharing of best practices for developing AI-ready data sets and building data-driven AI use cases in sectors such as agriculture, health care, and education”.
Modi said, “The agreement recently signed in the space sector marks the beginning of a new chapter in space science cooperation.”
The joint statement said they will “deepen ecosystem collaboration in India’s growing aviation and aerospace MRO sectors through the partnerships between Indian and Singapore companies in these sectors, including the sharing of Singapore’s expertise and the provision of upskilling opportunities”. Singapore will assist in establishing a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Chennai in the field of advanced manufacturing, Modi said.
On counter-terrorism cooperation, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to combat terrorism, including cross-border terror, in all forms and reiterated a zero-tolerance approach. Both countries agreed to strengthen cooperation to fight against global and regional terrorism and terror organisations, including those proscribed by the UN — and against terror financing, through bilateral mechanisms, FATF and other multilateral platforms.
They also agreed to strengthen cooperation under the bilateral Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, which facilitates cooperation in criminal investigations and proceedings.
Modi said that “UPI and Pay Now are successful examples of our digital connectivity. It is also gratifying that 13 new Indian banks have joined this initiative.”
According to the PM, they decided that the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement and FTA with ASEAN will be reviewed in a time-bound manner to boost trade.
Modi also said the “agreement on Green & Digital Shipping Corridors will strengthen the supply chain of green fuels in the maritime sector and digital port clearance”. “India is rapidly developing its port infrastructure, and Singapore’s experience is immensely valuable in this regard. Today, we inaugurated Bharat Mumbai Container Terminal Phase-2, developed by Singapore’s SPA International. This will further enhance our container handling capacity,” he said. Modi and Wong virtually inaugurated the second phase of JNPort PSA Terminal (BMCT). JNPA handles 54% of containerised cargo across all major domestic ports.
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