Mr. Shanmugaratnam says Singapore and India are exploring opportunities for manufacturing semiconductor chips in the country in the 60th year of diplomatic relationship
India and Singapore are cooperating in critical sectors like advanced manufacturing and semiconductors as the relations are on a “new trajectory” of growth, Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said Thursday.
Shanmugaratnam, on a five-day visit to India, held separate talks with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a broad focus on expansion of bilateral ties. He is travelling to Odisha Friday where he will meet the state government’s leadership.
The Singapore President told reporters that a data corridor between the GIFT City in Gujarat and his country is being explored so that the financial institutions of the two sides can safely exchange data.
He said the possibility of a “corridor for renewable energy” between India and Singapore is also being looked at.
Talking about Singapore-India ties in the last few decades, he said the two countries are now on a new trajectory after ties were upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Modi’s visit to the city state in September last year.
“We are exploring new initiatives going beyond the existing active relationship that we have. We are cooperating in advanced manufacturing and semiconductors,” he said.
Shanmugaratnam said both sides are also working on new “generation and net zero” industrial parks besides focusing on skilling for new industries.
“In the digital space, we are exploring the possibility of a data corridor between GIFT City and Singapore so that our financial institutions can exchange data on a safe and trusted basis,” he said.
The Singapore president also referred to how India was among the first to recognise his country around six decades ago.
“We will never forget that India was one of the first few countries to recognize Singapore’s independence in 1965. And since then our relationship has grown by bounds,” he said.
The year 2025 marks the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Singapore.
To commemorate this occasion, Murmu and Shanmugaratnam unveiled a joint logo.
The joint logo incorporates elements: colours from the Indian and Singaporean National flags, the Lotus (national flower of India) and Orchid (national flower of Singapore), and the number 60 highlighting the significant milestone of the 60th anniversary.
The placement of these elements symbolises the enduring friendship, mutual trust and shared values between the two countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
