New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Singapore soon to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations. The specific dates for the prime minister’s official visit are not known yet, but it will happen shortly, a top official said.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Singapore was mentioned by Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan after senior ministers of India and Singapore concluded a high-level meeting 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 & IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw participated in the second India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) in Singapore.

Calling the meeting “productive”, Mr Balakrishnan said, “We will, very shortly, be announcing an official visit by Prime Minister Modi to Singapore. I cannot give you the specific date, but it will occur shortly”.

During the multi-ministerial meeting, the two countries discussed ways to boost bilateral cooperation in the digital arena, skill development, sustainability, healthcare, connectivity and manufacturing.

Mr Balakrishnan further said that advanced manufacturing and semiconductors, as well as aviation and maritime connectivity are the new areas that Singapore and India have added to their bilateral talks.

“A country with more than 1.4 billion people is now embarking on a major upgrade of its aviation sector. This is a once in a two, three-decade opportunity, and it’s good that we are, in a sense, in the front seat and have a chance (to collaborate),” he said.

At the meeting, Singapore was represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam, Digital Development and Information Minister Josephine Teo, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng and Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat.

“During the meeting, the ministers reaffirmed the close and long-standing relationship between the two nations, underpinned by strong economic and people-to-people ties,” Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Trade and Industry said in a joint release.

Besides a link-up between Singapore’s PayNow and India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in February 2023, which lets financial institutions from both sides transfer funds in real time, the two countries have also facilitated investments in renewable energy, such as green ammonia.

“I am confident that the discussions we had today and those in the future will pave the way to foster greater collaboration between Singapore and India,” Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister said.

An official announcement by the Ministry of External Affairs regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit is awaited.

(Inputs from PTI)