Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, on his three-day official visit to India, underscored the growing importance of the India-Singapore partnership in the face of global uncertainty and turbulence. Addressing a joint press conference at Hyderabad House in New Delhi alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Wong emphasised that the bilateral relationship is uniquely anchored in shared values, mutual respect, and a deep foundation of trust.

He highlighted that both nations could draw strength from their longstanding historical and cultural ties, which continue to shape modern cooperation and people-to-people connectivity. Wong expressed strong optimism about carrying this partnership into the future, stating that he looks forward to working closely with Prime Minister Modi to elevate cooperation to greater heights across strategic and economic domains.

One of the central themes of Wong’s remarks was Singapore’s commitment to supporting India’s skill development and industrial advancement. He reaffirmed Singapore’s role as a global partner for the upcoming National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Chennai, which will focus on advanced manufacturing, with Singaporean institutions providing consultancy and project support.

This flagship initiative will train skilled manpower, especially in high-demand industries such as semiconductors, aviation, and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services. Beyond the national centre, Singapore also pledged collaboration on establishing state-level skill development institutions to meet industry-specific needs, reflecting its long-term investment in India’s human capital development.

Closely linked to this skill-building pillar is the deepening engagement on advanced manufacturing and semiconductor development. Building upon the Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership Agreement signed in 2024, Singapore is supporting India’s R&D and domestic manufacturing ambitions in this critical sector.

Wong highlighted Singapore’s active participation in the SEMICON India Conference, signalling strong corporate interest in India’s emerging technology ecosystem. This cooperation not only promises skilled manpower but also robust supply chain integration, logistics connectivity, and joint research opportunities, thereby enhancing India’s competitiveness in the global manufacturing landscape. Singaporean companies have also expressed interest in developing sustainable industrial parks in India, aligning with India’s push towards green manufacturing and industrial resilience.

Financial linkages were another significant highlight of Wong’s address. He noted that GIFT City in Gujarat has rapidly emerged as a bridge connecting Indian markets with global investors. The successful rollout of the rebranded GIFT Nifty futures contract on the NSE International Exchange—after the migration of the SGX Nifty from the Singapore Exchange—was hailed as a landmark step in deepening financial connectivity.

With extended trading hours, tax benefits, and direct linkages to foreign capital flows, this development positions GIFT City as a critical financial services hub in Asia and strengthens Singapore’s role as a trusted partner in enabling India’s integration with global financial markets.

Connectivity across multiple dimensions—aviation, maritime, and digital—was another area of emphasis. Both sides exchanged an MoU on aviation cooperation, covering training, research, and R&D for civil aviation. Wong underlined how closer cooperation in this domain would unlock major opportunities in trade, tourism, and aviation growth.

On the maritime front, the leaders jointly inaugurated Phase-II of the Bharat Mumbai Container Terminal (BMCT) at Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Navi Mumbai, making it India’s largest standalone container terminal. Wong highlighted that such projects would not only boost India’s trade and logistics ambitions but also position it as a stronger hub for global shipping flows.

Parallelly, the emphasis on digital connectivity signals cooperation in emerging technologies, data-driven trade, and fintech—an arena where Singapore already plays a leadership role in Asia.

The wide-ranging discussions were marked by the signing of multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), spanning areas from industrial growth and skill development to finance, aviation, and maritime logistics.

These agreements reflect the broad-based and forward-looking cooperation between the two nations, which is expanding from trade and investment to encompass high-technology, sustainability, and regional security dimensions. Both Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Wong reiterated the centrality of trust and mutual benefit as the foundation of this engagement.

Prime Minister Wong’s visit reaffirmed India-Singapore relations as a model regional partnership—balancing strategic alignment, economic growth, and people-centric initiatives.

The focus on advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, financial connectivity, sustainable industrialisation, logistics, and skill development reflects a comprehensive agenda aligned with India’s development priorities and Singapore’s expertise as a global trade and innovation hub.

In a time of geopolitical and economic volatility, this partnership not only strengthens bilateral resilience but also contributes to regional stability, inclusive growth, and shared prosperity across Asia.

Based On ANI Report