Singapore key pillar of India's Act East policy, says President Murmu

Welcoming Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and his delegation to the Rashtrapati Bhavan here, the president said that with a shared history, friendship based on trust and respect

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday said that Singapore is a key pillar of India's Act East policy and the growing bilateral partnership will bring immense benefits to people of both countries.

Welcoming Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and his delegation to the Rashtrapati Bhavan here, the president said that with a shared history, long tradition of friendship based on trust and mutual respect, and extensive cooperation across a wide range of areas, India-Singapore cooperation has gained further momentum in recent years.

She also hosted a banquet in his honour.

Murmu said that Singapore is a key pillar of India's Act East policy and "our vision of the Indo-Pacific".

"Our shared belief in democratic values also connects us with each other," the president was quoted as having said in a statement issued by her office.

Both leaders agreed that as India steadily moves towards becoming the world's third largest economy, the growing India-Singapore partnership will bring immense benefits to the people of both countries, it said.

Murmu was happy to note that the two countries have recently elevated the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, and have also established a unique ministerial roundtable dialogue mechanism covering diverse sectors of cooperation, including advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitalisation, healthcare & medicine, skills development and sustainability.

The two leaders also jointly launched a logo commemorating the 60th anniversary of India-Singapore bilateral relations, the statement said.