India-Singapore Strengthen Ties in Futuristic Areas

India and Singapore have vowed to enhance cooperation in pioneering sectors, with a focus on six key pillars: Digitalisation, Skill Development, Sustainability, Healthcare & Medicine, Advanced Manufacturing, and Connectivity. High-level delegations led by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong also discussed commemorating the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

India and Singapore have vowed to bolster cooperation in cutting-edge and futuristic fields. The commitment was made during the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) held on Monday.

The Indian delegation, led by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, discussed six strategic pillars identified under the ISMR framework. Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister, Gan Kim Yong, headed the Singaporean delegation.

'During the meeting, leaders emphasized enhancing cooperation between India and Singapore in emerging and futuristic areas. The discussions covered critical sectors such as Digitalisation, Skill Development, Sustainability, Healthcare & Medicine, Advanced Manufacturing, and Connectivity,' stated the finance ministry in a post on X.

Additionally, plans for commemorating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations were discussed, alongside regional and global cooperation initiatives like ASEAN and G20. The first ISMR resulted in MoUs on healthcare, education & skill development, digital cooperation, and semiconductor ecosystem cooperation.

Besides Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw attended the meeting. Established to set a new agenda for bilateral relations, the ISMR's inaugural meeting took place in New Delhi in September 2022. This year's meeting aims to review strategic partnerships and explore new avenues for collaboration.

(With inputs from agencies.)