EAM Jaishankar begins Singapore state visit; meets with Deputy PM Gan Yong

EAM Jaishankar starts his visit to Singapore by meeting DPM & Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong.
| Photo Credit: X/@DrSJaishankar

On the second leg of his two-state visit, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, who landed in Singapore on Friday (November 8, 2024), met with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and discussed with him ways to take forward contemporary bilateral partnership, with a focus on areas like industrial parks, innovation and semiconductors.

Sharing the details on the social media platform X, Mr. Jaishankar wrote, “Started my visit to Singapore by meeting DPM & Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong.”

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He shared that the two leaders “discussed taking forward contemporary partnerships with a focus on industrial parks, green energy, skilling, innovation and semiconductors”.

Mr. Jaishankar is also set will also address the eighth Roundtable of ASEAN – India Network of Think Tanks. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

India has a strengthened and multi-faceted relationship with ASEAN, which is expressed through the Act East Policy. The EAM will also meet the leadership of Singapore to review the close partnership between the two countries and explore avenues to further enhance the bilateral relationship. India and Singapore have a close bilateral relationship. Singapore has played an important role in reconnecting India to the countries of Southeast Asia since the inception of the Look East Policy in the early 1990s.

The Indian community has a significant presence in Singapore and constitutes about 9.2% of the total population of the country. The visit by Mr. Jaishankar comes on the heels of the three-day state visit of Dr. Ng Eng Hen, Singapore’s Minister of Defence, to India.

During his visit, he co-chaired the sixth India-Singapore Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in New Delhi with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh. Singapore has been an integral partner of India’s Act East Policy.

Expressing confidence in the relationship shared between the two countries, Singapore’s Defence Minister Hen had remarked, “From Singapore’s perspective, India has always been part of the East. Whether you choose to act or look, we consider you part of the area.”

Mr. Jaishankar is on a two-state visit, namely to Australia and Singapore. The Australian interactions lasted from November 3 to November 7 and saw the External Affairs Minister holding meetings with various groups of Australian society to strengthen the partnership between the two countries. Mr. Jaishankar’s visit to the two countries is set to boost the warm and friendly ties India shares with them.