The 2nd India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) round was held in Singapore on 26 August 2024. Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs; Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology; and Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, led the Indian delegation.
Mr. Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry; Mr. K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law; Dr. Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry; Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs; Mrs. Josephine Teo, Minister for Digital Development and Information and Second Minister for Home Affairs; and Mr. Chee Hong Tat, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance led the delegation from Singapore.
Both sides reviewed the status of the India–Singapore Strategic Partnership, especially in the skills development, sustainability, digitalisation, healthcare, and medicine sectors. These sectors were identified as crucial in the 1st ISMR held in New Delhi on 17 September 2022. The dignitaries discussed means to expand bilateral cooperation. Apart from the above sectors, two new areas- advanced manufacturing and connectivity- were identified to strengthen bilateral collaboration between India and Singapore. Both sides agreed to organise the next round of ISMR in India on a mutually convenient date.
During their visit, the Indian delegation met with Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of the Republic of Singapore. They thanked him for his contributions as a member of the G20 Expert Group on Strengthening MDBs (Multilateral Development Banks) during India’s G20 Presidency. The Indian Ministry of Finance thanked the President for being “a strong proponent of multilateralism through his seminal contribution to developing far-reaching reforms that can enable governments and institutions to deal with 21st century challenges.”
Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman also called on Mr. Lawrence Wong, the Prime Minister of Singapore. Mr. Lawrence appreciated the importance of ISMR in bilateral relations between India and Singapore. Smt. Nirmala responded to him and noted, “Conversation with you shows clearly that India-Singapore relations are on sound footing. Together, we shall work to strengthen the relationship for the benefit of our people.” Smt. Nirmala also met with the former President of The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Mr. T. Raja Kumar, and congratulated him on completing his tenure. They spoke about India’s mutual evaluation report, the future of FATF, and India’s role in it.
Shri Piyush Goyal observed that the concluding meeting at the dinner roundtable featured “stakeholders from prominent global investment firms”. The delegation had a fruitful interaction with the participants. He noted that “It was a delight to learn about their perspectives on India’s growth potential. Highlighted the unparalleled opportunities for investment and collaboration that our nation offers.” Shri Piyush further added that the delegates were invited to play a significant role in India’s development journey under Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
The bilateral relations between Singapore and India are marked by mutual respect and deep-rooted cultural history. The visit by the recent delegation will undoubtedly contribute to both nations’ commitment to intensify their multilateral partnership.
