Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to SingaporeExternal Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Tuesday (September 3, 2024) said that the time has come for the two countries to take their bilateral ties to the next level.
“Given the changes happening in India and the changes happening in the world, they need to be more contemporary. In many ways, that is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to visit Singapore at the start of his third term,” the straits times Mr Jaishankar had said in an interview.
They said that Bilateral relations between India and Singapore It has been very strong over the last two decades.
The Minister said that just as Singapore had an opportunity in 1992 and then in 2006, it should seize this opportunity and make full use of the new scenario.
Mr Jaishankar said, “Sometimes, to be honest, I think your ideas are a bit outdated.”
“In India, we are using the achievements of the last decade to accelerate national development and modernisation,” the minister said.
Beyond bilateral relations, there is also the issue of closer cooperation in a volatile and uncertain world. “In this regard, we have to recognize that our partnership is based on a high level of trust and understanding,” the minister said.
“These features enable us to share assessments and explore our commonalities,” he said.
Mr Jaishankar said the Prime Minister has always had a special feeling for Singapore and this leadership relationship will matter more than ever. He said Mr Jaishankar has served as India’s High Commissioner to Singapore and has a great understanding of the city-state.
Responding to a question on the direction India would like to take bilateral ties, the minister said, “We have come a long way since then. As I mentioned, the time has come for our relationship to move to the next level, which reflects the current realities of both countries as well as the state of the world.” The minister said that as far as Singapore’s approach to India is concerned, it can start with an appreciation of the last decade’s growth, recovery from Covid and the country’s rapid digitalisation, while also taking into account the progress in infrastructure, focus on manufacturing and availability of talent.
These issues were also discussed at the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable last week – held in preparation for Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Singapore.
“I would particularly mention promising technologies for the future such as semiconductors, green technologies and electric mobility. We also need to think together about the future of connectivity and energy flows,” Mr Jaishankar emphasised.
The minister also cited the Covid experience to underline India’s relevance for food and health security and said: “With respect to the global scenario, we have worked on the ‘Act East’ policy, which now has a full-fledged Indo-Pacific commitment.” Mr Jaishankar said a new balance is emerging and India will certainly play its role. “This is in the interest of Singapore and ASEAN.” “In an era when we see deficits with respect to global shared interests, our ties can make a big difference,” he said.
The minister also commented on the perception that India’s main focus in its extended neighbourhood is no longer on ASEAN but on the Gulf. “I would not take an ‘either-or’ approach. Certainly, in the last decade, India’s relations with the Gulf countries have really taken off. “Earlier governments looked at them more narrowly from the perspective of trade, energy and diaspora. In contrast, the Modi government’s policies have expanded to include investment, technology, security and connectivity,” he pointed out.
“We certainly feel that the contributions of our community have been recognised more strongly [in the Gulf]Both economic and demographic complementarities are assuming a much more important role today.
“But because of that, I would not draw any conclusions with respect to ASEAN. In fact, our ties have also deepened in this period.” Mr Jaishankar underlined the fact that India – the most populous country and currently the fifth largest economy – will necessarily have multi-directional engagement. “For us the world is not a zero-sum game.” The minister also spoke at length about Singapore which was once the fulcrum of India’s ‘Look East’ policy.
“Clearly, Singapore, which was at the core of our ‘Look East’ policy, plays an equally central role in the ‘Act East’ policy as well. If you look at the new domains that reflect this evolution, Singapore’s partnerships in security, connectivity, technology and stability are evident.” The ‘Act East’ policy is certainly very proactive for a number of reasons, he stressed, adding that Southeast Asia has a lot of untapped potential and its demographics and growth prospects make it a long-term partner.
“For example, imagine what a difference the Trilateral Highway will make [plan to connect India with Myanmar and Thailand] He told us how much we can make upon completion.
“This is a relationship that is indispensable to India’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. I confidently predict a bright future for it,” he said.
PM Modi will visit Singapore on Wednesday (September 4, 2024).
He said he was looking forward to meeting President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in Singapore.
Prime Minister Modi will also meet leaders of the business community of Singapore.