India's Growing Global Role Recognized in Singapore Talks, Says Minister Balakrishnan
During a recent visit to Singapore, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with several top leaders of the island nation, including Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong. The meetings reaffirmed the strong and growing ties between India and Singapore, with both countries emphasizing their shared commitment to regional and global cooperation.
After his discussions with Jaishankar, Singapore’s Foreign Minister Balakrishnan took to social media to share his thoughts. He praised India’s rising influence on the global stage, stating that as the world steadily moves toward a multipolar order, India is poised to become one of its key pillars. “As the world inexorably transitions into multipolarity, India will play an increasingly important role as one of these major poles of opportunity,” he noted.
Jaishankar, in turn, underscored Singapore’s central role in India’s strategic vision for the East. “Singapore lies at the heart of India’s Act East Policy,” he said, reflecting on the depth of the partnership between the two nations. After wrapping up his visit in Singapore, Jaishankar is scheduled to continue his diplomatic tour with a visit to China.
India and Singapore’s relationship was significantly deepened during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country in September last year, where the two sides upgraded ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Since then, both governments have worked closely to translate this partnership into meaningful progress across various sectors.
During the recent discussions, the two countries agreed to convene the third India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable in New Delhi soon. This follows two earlier rounds of high-level ministerial talks aimed at strengthening collaboration in crucial areas such as investment, the development of industrial parks, semiconductors, infrastructure, skills training, and connectivity.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, both sides also took stock of the progress made on the deliverables from Prime Minister Modi’s visit and the previous roundtable discussions. They also exchanged views on broader regional and global issues, including developments in ASEAN, the Indo-Pacific region, and international affairs at large.
While in Singapore, Jaishankar also held talks with Teo Chee Hean, a senior statesman who previously served as Singapore’s Coordinating Minister for National Security and is now the chairman-designate of Temasek Holdings, a prominent state-owned investment company.
The visit reflects India’s growing diplomatic outreach and its steady integration into key regional frameworks. As New Delhi continues to build bridges across Asia and beyond, partnerships like the one with Singapore are set to play a vital role in shaping a more connected and cooperative Indo-Pacific region.
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