Singapore PM Lawrence Wong’s visit (Sept 2025) to India culminated in the adoption of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) Roadmap.
- Occasion: Coincides with 60 years of diplomatic ties.
- Shift in Partnership: From trade-centric to technology, defence, maritime security, and sustainability cooperation.
- Monitoring Mechanism: Institutionalisation of the India–Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (annual) for CSP implementation.
- Strategic Positioning: Singapore – key partner in Act East Policy & Indo-Pacific Vision; serves as India’s gateway to Southeast Asia.
Eight-Pillar Cooperation Framework
Economic Cooperation
- CECA (Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement): 3rd Review ongoing.
- AITIGA (ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement): Substantial progress expected in 2025.
- Semiconductors:
- Singapore produces 10% of global semiconductors & 20% of equipment.
- India–Singapore Semiconductor Policy Dialogue launched to support India’s chip ambitions.
- Industrial Parks: Joint ventures in sustainable next-gen manufacturing.
- Capital Market Linkage: NSE-IFSC-SGX GIFT Connect.
Skills Development
- National Centre of Excellence (Chennai) for Advanced Manufacturing.
- Private sector–driven skill centres in Aviation & MRO.
- TVET cooperation: student/faculty exchange, curriculum development.
- Expansion of Singapore–Assam Nursing Skills Model to other states.
Digitalisation
- UPI–PayNow linkage: Expanded for merchant & personal transactions.
- FinTech & Startups: Strengthened via Joint Working Group.
- Cybersecurity Cooperation: CERT–CERT info sharing, capacity building.
- TradeTrust: Adoption for interoperable e-Bills of Lading.
Sustainability
- Green Hydrogen & Ammonia cooperation.
- Civil Nuclear collaboration: potential technology sharing.
- Climate Cooperation: Under Paris Agreement Article 6.2.
- Multilateral Platforms: International Solar Alliance (ISA), Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA).
- Food Security: Export promotion & accreditation for select products.
Connectivity
- Maritime: Green & Digital Shipping Corridor between Singapore & major Indian ports.
- Aviation: Expansion of Air Services Agreements; skilling in aviation ecosystem.
- Digital Port Management: Example – Nhava Sheva (JNPA) container terminal.
Healthcare and Medicine
- MoU-based cooperation: digital health, disease surveillance, maternal health.
- Nursing partnership: Assam model expanded.
- Joint Working Group to monitor health collaboration.
People-to-People & Cultural Exchanges
- Student & staff mobility, internships, think tank collaborations.
- Cultural exchanges: maritime heritage preservation, arts.
- Parliamentary & Public Service exchanges for governance learning.
Defence & Security Cooperation
- SIMBEX 2025: Flagship joint naval exercise.
- Defence Tech: Cooperation in AI, Quantum, Automation, Unmanned Vessels.
- Maritime Security: Submarine rescue ops, joint patrols.
- Counter-Terrorism: FATF engagement, bilateral/multilateral platforms.
Strategic & Regional Security Context
- Malacca Straits Patrols (MSP): Currently with Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand.
- Singapore welcomed India’s interest in MSP.
- India’s Andaman & Nicobar Command: Critical for monitoring shipping lanes near Malacca Strait; complements MSP operations.
- CSP Framework: Enhances maritime domain awareness & coordinated security.
Significance
- Elevates India–Singapore ties to comprehensive partnership.
- Balances trade with technology, sustainability, and security.
- Boosts India’s Act East policy and Indo-Pacific strategy.
- Enhances resilience against supply chain, climate, and security challenges.
- Symbolic of middle power cooperation in a multipolar world.
Key Facts
India–Singapore Relations
- Diplomatic Relations: Since 1965, upgraded to Strategic Partnership (2015), now CSP.
- Singapore FDI: Among top sources of FDI in India.
- SIMBEX: India–Singapore Bilateral Naval Exercise (since 1994).
Key Trade Agreements
- CECA: India–Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement signed in 2005.
- AITIGA: India–ASEAN Trade Agreement effective from 2010.
Maritime & Connectivity
- Malacca Strait: ~40% of global trade and ~80% of China’s oil imports pass through.
- Andaman & Nicobar Command: India’s only tri-service command, set up in 2001, HQ: Port Blair.
Digital & FinTech
- UPI–PayNow Linkage: Launched in Feb 2023 (real-time cross-border payments).
- GIFT City (Gandhinagar): India’s first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC).
Sustainability Platforms
- ISA: International Solar Alliance HQ – Gurugram, India.
- GBA: Global Biofuels Alliance launched at G20 New Delhi Summit, 2023.