Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong hosts a private dinner for Prime Minister Modi before their official discussions.
PM Modi landed in Singapore as part of his two-country tour in Southeast Asia, following his historic visit to Brunei as the first Indian Prime Minister to do so.
On Wednesday, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong welcomed his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for a private dinner before their scheduled discussions on Thursday, which are anticipated to boost collaboration in important sectors like digitalization and semiconductors.
PM Modi arrived in Singapore as part of a two-nation tour of Southeast Asia, following his historic visit to Brunei, where he became the first Indian Prime Minister to make a bilateral visit to the country. Upon arriving, he was welcomed at the airport by Singapore's Minister for Home Affairs, K Shanmugam.
Wong invited Modi to a private dinner at the Istana, the presidential palace traditionally used for hosting and entertaining state visitors. Video released by the office of the Singapore Prime Minister depicted the two leaders hugging and engaging in conversation prior to the dinner, where they were accompanied by key aides including external affairs minister S Jaishankar and Singapore's foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan.
Wong expressed his joy at the opportunity to meet for a meal at the Istana before the scheduled meetings the following day. Modi mentioned in a different post that he had a "great conversation about various topics". He further stated, "India values its strong bond with Singapore."
Modi previously expressed his anticipation for upcoming meetings that aim to enhance the friendship between India and Singapore. India's youth power combined with the country's reforms make it a prime choice for investment. He added that they are also excited about strengthening cultural connections.
Modi and Wong are scheduled to discuss strategies for enhancing cooperation in various fields during their meeting on Thursday. They aim to build on the outcomes of the recent India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, which identified advanced manufacturing and connectivity as emerging areas for partnership. The two parties will announce approximately five agreements, with a significant focus on collaboration in the semiconductor industry.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that this visit holds significance in enhancing India's Act East policy, its vision of the Indo-Pacific, economic ties with Singapore, and technological collaboration between the two countries.
After receiving a formal greeting at the Parliament House on Thursday, Modi will also have meetings with senior minister Lee Hsien Long, emeritus senior minister Goh Chok Tong, and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
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