On August 27, 2024, India and Singapore convened the second round of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) in Singapore, where they reviewed their strategic partnership and outlined new areas for cooperation.
The meeting was attended by key Indian officials including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Representing Singapore were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law K. Shanmugam, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng, and Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat.
The ministers reviewed the progress made under the initial pillars of their strategic partnership, which include Digitalization, Skills Development, Sustainability, Healthcare, and Medicine. They agreed to add two new focus areas: Advanced Manufacturing and Connectivity. This expansion aims to further strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two nations.
The next round of the ISMR will be held in India at a time that will be mutually agreed upon by both countries. During their visit, the Indian delegation also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Prime Minister Wong emphasized the importance of the India-Singapore Ministerial Dialogue as a key platform for enhancing bilateral ties. Finance Minister Sitharaman expressed gratitude for the Prime Minister’s hospitality and noted that discussions with Wong confirmed the strong and stable nature of the relationship between India and Singapore. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar also thanked the Singaporean ministers for their dedication to deepening the partnership.
The meeting reaffirmed both nations’ commitment to advancing their multifaceted partnership, with a particular focus on the new pillars of Advanced Manufacturing and Connectivity.