Singapore, India ministers attend new forum to deepen cooperation and identify opportunities
DPM Lawrence Wong led ministers in attending the inaugural India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable in New Delhi.
Ministers attending the inaugural India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) in New Delhi on Sep 17, 2022. (Photo: MCI)
SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong led Singapore ministers in attending the inaugural India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) in New Delhi on Saturday (Sep 17).
The new ministerial platform between the two countries seeks to deepen existing cooperation and identify opportunities for collaboration in new and emerging areas.
Mr Wong, who is on his first official visit to India as Deputy Prime Minister, was joined by Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, as well as Minister for Transport and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations S Iswaran.
They met Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Piyush Goyal, minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles.
“The ISMR is a leaders-led forum to explore opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration given the rapidly evolving geopolitical developments in a post-COVID-19 recovery phase and ongoing supply chain disruptions,” read a press statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
“The ministers affirmed the longstanding and mutually beneficial relationship between India and Singapore, with deep reservoirs of strategic trust.”
The ministries added that discussions covered a wide range of topics, including food security, energy security, digitalisation, green technology and skills development.
In a Facebook post, Mr Wong said Singapore and India share a strong bond built over 57 years of diplomatic relations, as well as longstanding historical, cultural and familial ties.
“Through this new ministerial platform, we seek to bring our bilateral relations to a new phase,” he added.
He also thanked India for inviting Singapore to the G20 Leaders’ Summit and meetings under India’s G20 Presidency in 2023.
On Sunday, Mr Wong will travel to Gujarat, where he will meet Indian Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel and visit Gujarat International Finance City.
