PM Wong visiting India from Sept 2 to 4, marking 60 years of diplomatic ties

NEW DELHI – Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is making his first official visit to India as head of government from Sept 2 to 4.

His visit to New Delhi, at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comes as the two countries mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

It also reaffirms Singapore and India’s mutual commitment to strengthening ties, said the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in a statement on Sept 2.

During his trip, PM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, will call on Indian President Droupadi Murmu and meet Mr Modi, who will host a banquet lunch.

PM Wong will also receive calls by Indian officials, namely Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda, who is also Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers; Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman; Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan; External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar; and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, said the PMO.

The visit follows a series of meetings between leaders of the two countries, as both sides mark the 60-year milestone and work towards establishing a road map for their comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP) – a high-level diplomatic relationship that Singapore has with only a handful of countries.

Mr Modi made a two-day official visit to Singapore in September 2024, during which both countries

agreed to elevate their relationship to a CSP

.

In January, Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam

made a state visit to India

. More recently in August, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong led a six-member Singapore delegation to the third edition of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, a key bilateral platform that aims to boost collaboration in emerging fields.

PM Wong’s itinerary includes a visit to the Raj Ghat memorial to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and a closed-door dialogue with a group of Indian business leaders.

He will also meet overseas Singaporeans at a reception in the Indian capital to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the countries’ ties, as well as Singapore’s 60th year of independence.

PM Wong will be accompanied on the trip by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Acting Transport Minister and Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow, and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang. Both Dr Balakrishnan and Mr Siow were part of the delegation in August. Officials from the PMO and various ministries will also be part of the delegation.

In PM Wong’s absence, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam will be Acting Prime Minister.

Singapore and India have worked together on various fronts over the decades, including in economic relations and connectivity.

Economic relations between both countries are anchored by the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement signed in 2005. Since then, annual bilateral trade has grown by about 2½ times, from $20 billion in 2005 to $52.2 billion in 2023.

Singapore is India’s top foreign investor, accounting for about a quarter of India’s foreign direct investment equity inflows since 2000. India’s investment in Singapore has also grown, from $481 million in 2004 to about $31.6 billion in 2023.

Both countries also have mutual interests in maritime and aviation connectivity.

Singapore port operator PSA has had a presence in India for over 25 years and runs four terminals there.

In August, DPM Gan

toured Phase 2 of PSA Mumbai

, a container terminal at Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Navi Mumbai operated by the international arm of PSA.

The Phase 2 extension, when completed, would make PSA Mumbai India’s largest single container terminal.

Singapore Airlines has a 25.1 per cent stake in Air India, while SIA Engineering has announced plans to work with Air India to build up maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities in India to support Air India’s growing fleet.