India & Singapore To Host Third Ministerial Roundtable In Delhi

The third round of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) is scheduled to convene in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The high-level meeting aims to further strengthen and expand the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced.

Representing India, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will lead the delegation, joined by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong will represent Singapore and lead their delegation.

Other key ministers include Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Digital Development Josephine Teo, Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng, and Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow.

The ISMR, envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, serves as a unique platform to shape a forward-looking agenda for India-Singapore cooperation. Since its inception, the roundtable has aimed to identify new avenues for collaboration across multiple sectors.

The two countries held the inaugural meeting in New Delhi in September 2022, followed by the second round in Singapore in August 2024.

The upcoming third edition will focus on unlocking fresh opportunities to deepen the bilateral partnership.

Context Ahead of Singapore PM’s Possible Visit

The ministerial talks come ahead of reports suggesting a possible visit by Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to India next month.

The two countries expect the high-level engagement to further solidify their ties.

Earlier this year, in January, Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam visited India for high-level discussions.

During his visit, he met with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to explore bilateral cooperation in semiconductors, industrial parks, skilling, digitalisation, and trade development.

President Tharman also held talks with Prime Minister Modi, emphasising collaboration in futuristic sectors to enhance the India-Singapore partnership.

India and Singapore elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Singapore last year. The partnership covers a broad spectrum of cooperation, including trade, technology, security, and cultural ties.

The upcoming ISMR is expected to reinforce this partnership and foster innovative collaboration. Both sides aim to build on their strong foundation to address future challenges and opportunities, thereby contributing to regional growth and stability.

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