Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on official visits to Brunei and Singapore starting Tuesday, September 3, 2024. These visits aim to enhance bilateral relations and explore new avenues for cooperation in various sectors.
Visit to Brunei: A Historic First
PM Modi’s visit to Brunei on September 3-4 is at the invitation of Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. This marks the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister to Brunei, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
According to Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, the visit will focus on strengthening cooperation across multiple sectors, including defense, trade and investment, energy, technology, health, and culture. He emphasized the warm relationship between India and Brunei, highlighting the significant Indian diaspora in Brunei, which includes around 14,000 individuals, many of whom are doctors and teachers.
Mazumdar also noted that Brunei plays an essential role in India’s ‘Act East Policy’ and the Indo-Pacific vision. He said, “As we mark a decade of our Act East Policy this year, the visit assumes additional significance. Brunei has been a crucial partner in our engagements with ASEAN and continues to play a key role.”
PM Modi’s Visit to Singapore: Building on Strong Foundations
Following his visit to Brunei, PM Modi will travel to Singapore on September 4-5, at the invitation of his Singaporean counterpart, Lawrence Wong. This visit comes nearly six years after his last trip to Singapore and is expected to build on the strong bilateral ties between the two nations.
During his stay in Singapore, PM Modi will meet with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and other key Singaporean leaders. The visit will include discussions on trade and investment, defense cooperation, and cultural exchanges. The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted the growing trade and investment flows between India and Singapore, which have shown steady growth in recent years.
Mazumdar mentioned that new anchors of the India-Singapore partnership have been identified under the India-Singapore ministerial roundtable framework. He added that PM Modi will also interact with business leaders and CEOs during his visit, further strengthening economic ties between the two countries.