India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable Set for August 26 in Singapore

The India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable's second round will take place in Singapore on August 26. Key Indian ministers will interact with their Singaporean counterparts, aiming to strengthen bilateral relations. The meeting follows up on last year's inaugural session in New Delhi.

The second India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) is scheduled for August 26 in Singapore, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Saturday. Attending the meeting will be Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, according to the MEA's press release.

During the visit, the Indian ministers will hold discussions with their Singaporean counterparts and engage with the Singaporean leadership. The inaugural ISMR meeting took place in New Delhi in September 2022. According to the MEA, the ISMR aims to forge a new agenda for India-Singapore bilateral relations.

Both nations are expected to review various aspects of their Strategic Partnership during the meeting, exploring new avenues to further enhance their collaboration. Relations between India and Singapore are rooted in common values, economic opportunities, and shared interests. There are over 20 regular bilateral mechanisms, dialogues, and exercises in place.

The two countries share significant convergence on numerous international issues and participate in multiple forums, including the East Asia Summit, G20, Commonwealth, Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS). Just last week, Secretary East at the Ministry of External Affairs, Jaideep Mazumdar, met with Singapore's Permanent Secretary for Law and Second Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Luke Goh, in Delhi to discuss key bilateral and international matters.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently met with his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan during the ASEAN meeting in Vientiane, Laos. The two leaders focused on formulating a new agenda for strengthening bilateral ties while appreciating ASEAN-India relations under Singapore's coordination.

(With inputs from agencies.)