Singapore has endorsed India’s plan to join the Malacca Strait Patrol (MSP), marking a significant step in maritime cooperation. Announcement came during PM Narendra Modi’s meeting with Singaporean PM Lawrence Wong at Hyderabad House, New Delhi.
Five agreements signed – focused on green energy, defence, digital technology, and renewable energy exports from India to Singapore. The endorsement enhances India’s role as a security provider in the Indo-Pacific, aligning with its Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific strategy.
Strategic Importance of Malacca Strait
- One of the busiest maritime chokepoints in the world.
- Connects Indian Ocean (Andaman Sea) with South China Sea (Pacific Ocean).
- Handles ~60% of global maritime trade and 25% of world’s traded goods, including oil & gas supplies to China, Japan, South Korea.
- Shortest sea route between Middle East & East Asia – saves time and cost.
- Known as China’s “Malacca Dilemma” – heavy dependence on energy shipments through this strait makes it vulnerable in case of conflict.
India–Singapore Cooperation Highlights
Maritime Security
- Singapore formally acknowledged India’s interest in the Malacca Strait Patrols (MSP), currently managed by Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
- Strengthens freedom of navigation and balances rising Chinese naval presence.
Defence & Tech Collaboration
- Joint work on quantum computing, AI, automation, unmanned naval assets.
- Builds on India’s National AI Mission (2018) and Singapore’s role as a tech hub.
Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) Roadmap
- Adopted across 8 key areas: economy, defence, digitalisation, sustainability, education, healthcare, culture, and connectivity.
- Includes review of CECA (2005) and AITIGA (2010) trade agreements.
- UPI–PayNow linkage expansion, green hydrogen cooperation, civil nuclear projects, green shipping corridor, space collaboration, semiconductor industry support.
Regional Impact
- India gains greater maritime intelligence access & stronger ties with Southeast Asia.
- Singapore secures stable, rules-based maritime order vital for its trade economy.
- Strengthens collective security framework in Indo-Pacific.
Significance
- Boosts India’s naval presence in the Indo-Pacific.
- Adds pressure on China by highlighting its energy vulnerability.
- Reinforces India–Singapore relations in their 60th year of diplomatic ties (1965–2025).
- Sets a precedent for multi-dimensional cooperation – defence, tech, climate, digital economy.
Malacca Strait
- Location: Between Sumatra (Indonesia) & Malay Peninsula.
- Connects Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) with South China Sea (Pacific Ocean).
- Length: ~890 km, width varies (narrowest ~2.8 km at Phillips Channel).
- Borders: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore.
- World’s 2nd busiest shipping lane (after Dover Strait, Europe).
- Carries ~40% of global trade and ~80% of China’s oil imports.
India–Singapore Relations
- Diplomatic ties established: 1965.
- Defence Cooperation Agreement: 2003, renewed in 2017.
- India–Singapore CECA (Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement): Signed 2005.
- UPI–PayNow linkage launched: 2023.
- Singapore is India’s largest trade & investment partner in ASEAN.
- India’s Act East Policy: Launched in 1991 (Look East), upgraded in 2014 to Act East – focus on ASEAN ties, maritime security, and Indo-Pacific cooperation.
- Singapore PM (2025): Lawrence Wong (succeeded Lee Hsien Loong).
- India-Singapore Defence Link: Both conduct SIMBEX Naval Exercise annually.
Regional Security
- Malacca Strait Patrol (MSP) – launched in 2004 by Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, later joined by Thailand (2008). MSP consists of three coordinated layers: Malacca Straits Sea Patrol (regular joint naval patrols); Eyes-in-the-Sky (combined air patrols for surveillance); Intelligence Exchange Group (real-time data sharing among 4 states).
- Indo-Pacific Strategy – India’s approach combines Act East Policy (since 2014) with security partnerships.
- Chinese Naval Strategy – “String of Pearls” to secure maritime choke points, counterbalanced by India–US–ASEAN cooperation.