 "PM Modi to visit Singapore today: Top 5 things on agenda explained")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin his bilateral trip to Singapore on Wednesday after concluding his visit to Brunei.
In Brunei, he met with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and other members of the royal family to strengthen the partnership between the two countries. As the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Brunei, Modi also participated in various activities, including a visit to the iconic Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, which was built by the current Sultan's father.
Brunei, a small island nation surrounded by the South China Sea, is a crucial partner for India’s ‘Act East’ policy, which focuses on building strategic ties in the Asia-Pacific region.
PM Modi’s top agenda during the Singapore visit:
1) In Singapore, Modi will hold talks with the country’s senior leadership, including President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.
2) He will also meet business leaders in Singapore to explore potential areas of cooperation with India. According to a press release from the Centre, Modi's focus will be on advanced manufacturing, digitalisation, and sustainable development.
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Trade exchange with Singapore
3) Singapore is India's largest trade partner in Asia, with a trade value reaching $36.6 billion in 2023. To further boost foreign direct investment, India is encouraging Singaporean companies to invest in emerging sectors such as logistics, warehousing, and commercial real estate.
Singapore’s role in ASEAN-India relations
4) Modi has reiterated Singapore’s key role as the coordinator of ASEAN-India relations from 2021 to 2024. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an intergovernmental union of 10 countries in the region, of which India is not a member. The Modi government has been focusing extensively on strengthening India-ASEAN cooperation in various sectors. Both Singapore and Brunei are members of the forum.
India's 5 'S' strategy for Indo-Pacific engagement
5) Both countries are also crucial for India’s cooperation in the larger Indo-Pacific region. For this, India has adopted the ‘5 S’ approach: Sammaan (respect), Samvad (dialogue), Sahyog (cooperation), Shanti (peace), and Samridhi (prosperity).