Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed on Tuesday for a historic visit to Brunei, marking the first-ever visit by an Indian head of state despite 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Following his visit to Brunei, PM Modi will embark on a two-day trip to Singapore from September 4 to 5, where he will hold talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Before his departure on this bilateral tour, the Prime Minister said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), “Over the next two days, I will be visiting Brunei Darussalam and Singapore. During various engagements in these nations, our focus will be on further deepening India’s ties with them.”
Historic Visit to Brunei
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Brunei is taking place at the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. The visit aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation across various sectors, including defense, trade, energy, and space technology.
Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), stated that India and Brunei are working towards establishing a “joint working group in defense.”
Before his departure, the Prime Minister tweeted, “India-Brunei Darussalam diplomatic ties complete 40 glorious years. I look forward to meeting His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.”
PM Modi’s Agenda in Singapore
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Singapore is his first in nearly six years and comes early in his third term as Prime Minister. The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted that this visit comes at a crucial time, providing an opportunity to further strengthen bilateral relations with a new leadership in Singapore.
During a press briefing, Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East), MEA, mentioned, “New dimensions of our partnership have been identified under the India-Singapore ministerial roundtable framework.”
He added that relations between the two countries have “evolved,” citing steady growth in trade and investment, robust defense cooperation, and increasing cultural and educational exchanges.
Mazumdar further stated that recent discussions during the India-Singapore ministerial roundtable focused on futuristic areas of cooperation, including digitization, sustainability, health, and advanced manufacturing. Several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed during Prime Minister Modi’s visit, particularly in areas such as food security, renewable energy, green hydrogen, and semiconductors.
Singapore is India’s largest trade partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and a significant source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In the last financial year, Singapore was India’s largest source of FDI, amounting to $11.77 billion.
During his visit to Singapore, Prime Minister Modi will also participate in an interactive session with CEOs and business leaders. The discussions are expected to touch on regional issues, including the South China Sea and Myanmar.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to these two nations aligns with India’s ‘Act East’ policy, aimed at strengthening relations with Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.
