India–Singapore 2025 Summit

General Studies Paper-2

In News

• Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in New Delhi.

Key Outcomes of the Summit

• Maritime Security & Malacca Strait Patrol: India expressed interest in patrolling the Malacca Strait, a strategic chokepoint connecting the Indian Ocean and the Pacific.
  • Collaboration in submarine rescue operations, support for the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).
• Defence & Emerging Technologies: Joint research and cooperation in quantum computing, artificial Intelligence, automation & unmanned vessels etc.
• Economic & Infrastructure Cooperation: Agreement to export green energy from India to Singapore through dedicated ports.
  • Enhanced cooperation in space research and applications.
  • India–Singapore policy dialogue on semiconductors established.
• Skilling & Advanced Manufacturing: Agreement to set up a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Advanced Manufacturing in Chennai.
• Counter-Terrorism & Security Cooperation: Both sides reiterated cooperation at bilateral and multilateral levels, including in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), to combat cross-border terrorism.

Strategic Importance of Malacca Strait

• Global Trade Artery: Nearly 40% of India’s trade and 80% of China’s oil imports pass through it.
• Energy Security: Ensures uninterrupted oil and gas flows from the Middle East to East Asia.
• Geostrategic Leverage: India’s Andaman & Nicobar Command provides proximity to this chokepoint, enhancing its role in Indo-Pacific maritime security.

Brief India–Singapore Relations

• Historical Context: Ties go back to ancient times through maritime trade and Buddhism.
  • Modern relations strengthened after Singapore’s independence in 1965.
  • Singapore was among the first ASEAN countries to support India’s Look East Policy (1990s), now Act East Policy.
• Political & Defence Ties: 2015 marked 50 years of diplomatic relations.
  • Regular joint exercises are SIMBEX (naval), Bold Kurukshetra (army), Agni Warrior (artillery).
• Economic & Trade Relations: Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) – 2005 covers trade, services, and investments.
  • Singapore is among India’s largest trade and investment partners in ASEAN and accounted for 27.83 % of our overall trade with ASEAN in 2024-25. Singapore is the leading source of Foreign Direct Investment into India.
• Multilateral Cooperation: Strong partners in ASEAN, East Asia Summit, IORA, IONS, FATF, WTO, UN, and Commonwealth.