Jaishankar’s Singapore visit presented opportunity to deepen strategic partnership: MEA

Singapore, Mar 26 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Singapore and his meetings with the country’s top leadership presented an opportunity to take stock of the progress in several areas of cooperation and further deepen the bilateral Strategic Partnership, an official statement said.

Jaishankar was in Singapore from March 23 to 25 during which he called on Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong.

They exchanged views on deepening engagement in the identified pillars of bilateral cooperation, including fintech, digitalisation, green economy, skills development and food security, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Monday.

Jaishankar also held discussions with his counterpart Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

He had several bilateral engagements with the leadership and senior ministers of the Cabinet and discussed ways to further the strategic bilateral ties and the situation in the Indo-Pacific and West Asia regions.

“The visit presented an opportunity to further deepen the Strategic Partnership between India and Singapore and to take stock of progress in several areas of cooperation,” the MEA said.

Jaishankar held separate meetings with Minister of Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, focusing on bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, green energy and food security.

He also met Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, Minister of Home Affairs & Law K Shanmugam and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean.

During his visit to the city-state, Jaishankar paid homage to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at the Indian National Army soldiers at a war memorial.

He interacted with the Indian community in Singapore and attended an event organised by the Institute of South Asian Studies, where he interacted with think tanks and policy-makers.

Singapore is the current country coordinator for India at ASEAN and was invited as a Guest Country during India’s Presidency of the G20 last year.