India, Singapore Chart Strategic Roadmap to Strengthen Trade, Technology Ties

India and Singapore unveiled a new roadmap to strengthen their comprehensive strategic partnership, focusing on economic cooperation, skill development, digitalisation, connectivity, sustainability, healthcare, people-to-people exchanges, and defence and security. The announcement came during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visiting Singaporean counterpart, Lawrence Wong. Highlighting the significance of the partnership, Modi stated that India’s ties with Singapore extend far beyond traditional diplomacy.

“This is a partnership with purpose, rooted in shared values, guided by mutual interests, and driven by a common vision for peace, progress, and prosperity,” Prime Minister Modi said, while also thanking Singapore for its support on issues like cross-border terrorism and the Pahalgam attack. He added that both nations have charted a detailed roadmap for the future of their partnership.

Modi emphasized that cooperation will extend beyond traditional areas, noting that advanced manufacturing, green shipping, skill development, civil nuclear energy, and urban water management will become key focus areas. To further boost bilateral trade, he stated that a time-bound review will be conducted of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement and the Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN.

India and Singapore signed five agreements covering areas such as space, digitalisation, and civil aviation, while also agreeing to explore civil nuclear cooperation. The leaders expressed support for the growth of India’s semiconductor industry and ecosystem, including collaboration under the India-Singapore Semiconductor Policy Dialogue, fostering partnerships with Singaporean companies, and strengthening resilient semiconductor supply chains, according to a joint statement. Modi highlighted that the Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership Agreement, concluded last year, had given fresh momentum to research and development.

Defence and security cooperation received significant attention, with both leaders supporting regular exchanges between defence ministers, ongoing military collaboration, and joint exercises across the army, navy, and air force. They also committed to deepening technology cooperation in emerging areas such as quantum computing, AI, automation, and unmanned vessels.

The joint statement noted Singapore’s appreciation of India’s interest in the Malacca Straits Patrol, a maritime security initiative involving Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore. “Singapore is a vital pillar of our Act East Policy. Together, we will continue advancing cooperation with ASEAN and pursue our shared vision for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” Modi said, emphasising that both nations share concerns about terrorism and the responsibility of all countries to unite against it.

The statement reaffirmed both countries’ strong commitment to combating terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, in all its forms, reiterating a zero-tolerance stance. It highlighted plans to strengthen cooperation against global and regional terrorist threats and organisations, including those designated by the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee, and to counter terror financing through bilateral channels, FATF, and other multilateral platforms.

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