The Singapore Visit
Renewed Spirit, New Energy
Renewed Spirit, New Energy
नया उत्साह, नया जोश
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day bilateral visit to Singapore began on November 23, 2015.
Aimed at consolidating India-Singapore economic ties and strengthening the security cooperation between the two nations, the visit assumed a greater significance as it came at a time when India and Singapore are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations.
During the visit Prime Minister Modi held wide-ranging talks with President Tony Tan Keng Yam, Prime Minister Lee and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. He articulated his vision of the ‘Act East Policy’ to the policy makers, think-tanks, academics and the diplomatic community at the prestigious Singapore Lecture. He interacted with the Corporate Singapore at the Singapore-India Economic Convention and invited the gathering of prominent investors to ‘Make in India.’
He also paid tributes to the ‘Unknown Warrior’ at the INA Memorial Marker and visited the Institute of Technical Education where he was briefed about skill development and latest technological innovations.
Both the Prime Ministers decided to sustain the momentum of bilateral relations through regular high-level visits and recalled the five focal areas of cooperation – the 5-S plank- Scaling Up Trade And Investments; Speeding up Connectivity; Smart Cities; Skills Development & Capacity Building; and State Focus to Strengthen Business & Cultural Links agreed to by both the countries in August 2014. They pledged to work towards enhanced cooperation in these areas through specific programmes and projects. They also agreed to continue to work closely together with other ASEAN Member States to strengthen ASEAN Centrality, enhance connectivity, and support the ASEAN Community-building process.
The visit served as an occasion to elevate the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership that was sealed by signing the Strategic Partnership Declaration – an announcement of deepened ties in areas such as skills development and economic & cultural cooperation. As many as ten bilateral documents were signed signalling the intensity of engagements between the two longstanding Asian partners.
Singapore reaffirmed its continued support for India as a permanent member in a reformed United Nations Security Council .
The book will take you through the highlights of the visit.
"Singapore is a Nation that has become a metaphor for the reality of dreams." noted Prime Minister Modi as he delivered the prestigious 37th Singapore Lecture - 'The India's Singapore Story' organised by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute on 23 Novemeber 2015
"Singapore teaches us many things.The size of a Nation is no barrier to the scale of its achievements.And, the lack of resources is no constraint for inspiration, imagination, and innovation.When a Nation embraces diversity, it can unite behind a common purpose.And, international leadership flows from the power of thought, not just from the orthodox measures of strength."
–Prime Minister Narendra Modi
“As we build the India of our dreams, Singapore is already a major partner in that enterprise”.
–Prime Minister Narendra Modi
"And, I can do no better than to begin with homage to one of the tallest leaders of our time and the architect of modern Singapore – Lee Kuan Yew. For me, he was a personal inspiration. From his Singapore Stories,I drew many lessons."
–Prime Minister Narendra Modi
At the invitation of Prime Minister Lee Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Singapore from 23 to 24 November 2015. It was the second visit by the Prime Minister this year following his visit on 29 March 2015 to attend the State Funeral Service of the founding father and first Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew.
Towards cementing the already robust ties between India and Singapore, the two Prime Ministers signed a Joint Declaration establishing a ‘Strategic Partnership’ between the two nations to elevate bilateral relations to a higher level.
The Strategic Partnership is a framework to contribute to greater regional stability and growth, to expand existing areas of cooperation and catalyse new ones in – Political Exchanges, People-to-People Exchanges, Defence and Security Cooperation, Trade and Investment, Air Transport and Maritime Cooperation, Smart City Development and Urban Rejuvenation, Skills Development and Capacity Building, Public Administration, Science & Technology, and Research and Innovation, Legal and Judicial Cooperation, Financial and Parliamentary Cooperation, Multilateral and Regional Fora
The two leaders decided to sustain the momentum of bilateral relations through regular high-level visits and encouraged the continuation of regular exchanges under the agreed dialogue mechanisms between the Foreign Ministries and the Defence Ministries and instructed their respective agencies to continue to work towards enhanced cooperation in five focal areas of cooperation – the 5-S through specific programmes and project
Towards expanding existing areas of cooperation and bringing in new ones, a total of 10 key pacts including a Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership were signed by the two Prime Ministers. The agreements that showcased the strength of bilateral ties ranged from cooperation in Defence, Cyber Security, Shipping, Civil Aviation to Culture and Planning
Prime Minister Modi delivered a Special Address at the Singapore-India Economic Convention, organised by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and International Enterprise Singapore. Urging boldness and vision in the India and Singapore economic story, the Prime Minister spells out his strategy of Energising the economy, Empowering the people, Funding the unfunded, Securing the poor and Enhancing income level of all.
"Singapore is our 10th largest trade partner globally. It is also the 2nd largest in ASEAN. Bilateral trade has expanded manifold after the conclusion of Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement in 2005. Singapore has emerged as the 2nd largest source of FDI into India. Outward Indian FDI to Singapore has also increased in recent times. Singapore is now one of the top destinations for Indian investments. "
–Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Modi visited Institute of Technical Education College Central on 24 November 2015. He was received by Prime Minister Lee. The leaders were greeted enthusiastically by the students. They visited the Maritime Training Centre, Aerospace Hub and Precision Engineering section. The two leaders, guided by students, inserted a metallic piece each into a CNC machine to create bookends, which featured prominent symbols of India and Singapore. Both leaders signed the bookends.
Singapore has set up a Skills Centre in Delhi and is setting up a Centre of Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality in Udaipur, Rajasthan to train Indian youth and hopes to contribute towards PM Modi’s Skill India Campaign, which was launched in July 2015.
Prime Minister Modi paid homage at the Indian National Army Memorial Marker in Singapore. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had laid the foundation stone for the memorial dedicated to the “Unknown Warrior” of the Indian National Army (INA) in July 1945.The marker sits on the site of the original memorial.
The Prime Minister Modi met and interacted with the families of INA veterans present at the location.
Bridging Worlds: Melting Pot - The Story of the Indian Diaspora in Singapore
Prime Minister Modi received a rousing welcome from the Indian community in Singapore at a community reception programme on the evening of 24th November.
He concluded his speech by inviting the Indian Community to be a part of India's developmental journey.
In a special gesture, PM Lee and Mrs Ho Ching took Prime Minister Modi out on an impromptu tour of Singapore after his Singapore Lecture at the Shangri-La.
They also hosted a special supper for the Prime Minister at Kamala Vilas, a the popular vegetarian restaurant located in Little India.
Prime Minister Modi presented Prime Minister Lee a reproduction (from the cartographic collection of the National Archives of India, New Delhi) of a map of the island of Singapore dating back to 1849.
Measuring 52in x 52in and based on a survey that was done during 1842-45, the map depicts topographical details and description of various points in the vicinity of Singapore town above the level of low water spring tides. The reproduction was done.
Prime Minister Lee presented Prime Minister Modi a copy of the front page of Tamil Murasu of 11 August 1965, two days after Separation. The newspaper reported that India had recognised Singapore as an independent country, one of the first to do so.
