PM Narendra Modi reaches Singapore after concluding 'productive visit' to Brunei

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Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi received a warm welcome from the members of the Indian diaspora following his arrival at a Singapore hotel on Wednesday, news agency ANI reported.

PM Modi also tried his hands at playing a dhol as the crowd performed to welcome him.

Upon his arrival at the Changai airport from Brunei, PM Modi was welcomed by Indian High Commissioner to Singapore Shilpak Ambule, Singapore's High Commissioner to India Simon Wong, and other officials.

During his visit, PM Modi and his counterpart Lawrence Wong will review the progress of India-Singapore Strategic Partnership and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated.

During his visit, PM Modi will also call on Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and interact with other leaders as well as business leaders in the country.

Before his visit to Singapore, PM Modi was on an official visit to Brunei. Earlier in the day, PM Modi held "wide ranging" talks with Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah at Istana Nurul Iman in Bandar Seri Begawan and discussed ways to further cement bilateral ties between the two countries.

In a post on X, PM Modi stated, "Delighted to meet His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. Our talks were wide ranging and included ways to further cement bilateral ties between our nations. We are going to further expand trade ties, commercial linkages and people-to-people exchanges."

On Tuesday, PM Modi inaugurated the new Chancery of the High Commission of India in Brunei's capital city Bandar Seri Begawan.

He also went to the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the capital city the same day, as a part of his historic visit to Brunei. Pehin Dato Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin, Brunei's Minister of Religious Affairs, received PM Modi at the mosque. Brunei's Minister of Health Dato Haji Mohammad Isham was also present there, a statement by MEA revealed.

Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary East, MEA, on Wednesday stated, "Today, ahead of the talks, PM Modi was received at the Royal Palace by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, and they had detailed discussions on how to take the bilateral relations forward. They also covered a wide area of defense, trade and investment, space, energy, health, culture and people to people relations. It is a matter of happiness that Brunei is going to start direct flights to India from Bandar Sari Begawan to Chennai are planned for later this year. Also they discussed emerging areas of bilateral cooperation such as FinTech, the digital technology, digital payment systems as well as renewable energy," adding that PM Modi and Brunei Sultan discussed Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-related matters as well as regional and international matters.

"They also discussed regional and international matters, as also ASEAN-related matters, which is central to India's Act-East policy and our vision for the Indo-Pacific. A joint statement was issued that elevates the relationship to an enhanced partnership. His Majesty hosted a lunch for Prime Minister," he added.

Calling space an important area of bilateral cooperation, the MEA Secretary stated, "Space has traditionally been an important area of bilateral cooperation. India's telemetry tracking and command station is located in Brunei, and both sides signed an MoU to take this relationship further forward."

(With ANI inputs)