Singapore President to visit India next week to focus on non-traditional areas of cooperation

Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam is set to visit India on January 15, marking a significant milestone in the 60th year of diplomatic ties between the two nations.

Diplomatic sources told ANI that this visit is expected to take India-Singapore relations to new heights, with a focus on non-traditional areas of cooperation such as energy, industrial parks, and skills.

India-Singapore ties are expected to reach a new high this year as it is the sixtieth year of diplomatic ties between the two countries. A series of events and engagements are lined up to mark this special year.

Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will visit New Delhi on January 15. Later this year, Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong is also expected to visit India and the next round of the India-Singapore ministerial roundtable is also slated to take place a few months later.

The relationship got a major boost last year after the India-Singapore ministerial roundtable, followed by Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Singapore last year, according to diplomatic sources.

Earlier during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Singapore in 2015, the India-Singapore relationship was upgraded to a strategic level partnership.

After Prime Minister Modi visited Singapore in September 2024, the Indian High Commission in Singapore noted that India-Singapore relations were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Singapore is the second country after Australia to share this level of relationship. Diplomatic sources told ANI that Singapore wants to mark the upgrading of the relationship with a series of high-level visits and increased cooperation. India and Singapore will also be unveiling the logo for the 60th year of diplomatic ties soon.

During President Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s visit, Singapore will also confer the highest honour of citizenship to the former director of the Confederation of Indian Industries Tarun Dass. This honour was earlier bestowed upon the late Ratan Tata.

During the President’s visit, the focus will be on non-traditional areas of cooperation such as semiconductors, energy, industrial parks, and skills. According to diplomatic sources, two pacts related to semiconductors and skill development are also in the pipeline.

Apart from meeting Indian leadership, including Prime Minister Modi and President Murmu, the Singaporean President will also meet top economists and academics and top NITI AAYOG officials.

Southern states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have remained the main attractions for investments from Singapore. Diplomatic sources told ANI that Singapore is looking to diversify its investments into new states, with Odisha being a key focus area. The President will visit Odisha and hold talks with the Chief Minister to explore new avenues of cooperation.

With this view, Singapore’s President will be visiting Odisha during his visit to India and explore new avenues of cooperation. He will also hold talks with Odisha’s Chief Minister. Diplomatic sources told ANI that with the Indian government’s focus on diversifying areas of investments, Singapore is also looking out for new engines of growth.

Talks on improved connectivity will also be held during the visit. The Singaporean President is also expected to tour the World Skills Centre in Bhubaneshwar. Notably, the centre was developed with the help of Singapore. He is also likely to tour the vaccine manufacturer, Bharat Biotech and UNESCO sites, the diplomatic sources said.

India wants to have a first-mover advantage and Singapore will be making significant investments in India’s northeast via Assam, with already fresh fruits from the state being exported to Singapore via cargo flight.

Singapore will be working very closely with the Tata group for semiconductors, sources further added. Notably, last year India and Singapore signed a pact on a semiconductor ecosystem partnership.

Interestingly, Singapore is one of the biggest contributors of foreign direct investment to India. Last year, Singapore invested USD 12 billion and this year it is expected to exceed further, the diplomatic sources told ANI.