Singapore PM Lawrence Wong to Visit India, Strengthening Bilateral Ties

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to visit India from September 2 to 4 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This marks Wong’s first official visit to India since taking office. He will be joined by his spouse, Mrs. Lawrence Wong, along with a high-level delegation of Cabinet ministers and senior officials.

During his stay, Prime Ministers Modi and Wong will hold bilateral discussions aimed at boosting cooperation between the two nations. Wong will also meet President Droupadi Murmu, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, and other key dignitaries.

The visit carries special significance as it coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India and Singapore. It also comes less than a year after relations were upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Singapore in September 2024. Wong’s trip is expected to expand cooperation in multiple sectors and provide a platform for both leaders to exchange views on regional and global matters of shared concern.

India-Singapore Relations

India and Singapore have enjoyed a long-standing friendship built on trust, shared interests, and close collaboration. Since 2014, Prime Minister Modi has made five visits to Singapore, attending bilateral engagements as well as ASEAN and East Asia summits. Notably, he became the first Indian leader to deliver keynote speeches at both the Shangri-La Dialogue and the Singapore Fintech Festival in 2018.

During Modi’s 2024 visit, both countries signed several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) covering semiconductors, digital technologies, healthcare, and skill development. These agreements created a roadmap for sustained cooperation in crucial areas.

Expanding Trade and Investment

Economic partnership remains a cornerstone of India-Singapore ties. Bilateral trade has surged from USD 6.7 billion in 2004-05 to USD 34.3 billion in 2024-25. Today, Singapore ranks as India’s sixth-largest trading partner, contributing almost 3% of India’s overall trade volume.

In addition, Singapore is among the leading investors in India. In the last financial year alone, it invested nearly USD 15 billion. Between 2000 and 2025, total FDI inflows from Singapore reached about USD 175 billion—nearly a quarter of all foreign investment into India. These funds have flowed into services, IT hardware and software, trading, telecom, and pharmaceuticals.

Roughly 9,000 Indian firms are currently based in Singapore, while over 440 Singaporean businesses, including DBS Bank and United Overseas Bank, operate in India.

Indian Community in Singapore

The Indian diaspora has played a significant role in Singapore’s diverse society. As per the 2020 Census, individuals of Indian origin account for around 9% of the local population of 4.04 million. Additionally, many Indian nationals contribute to Singapore’s economy in IT, finance, construction, and maritime sectors.

Singapore also has the highest concentration of IIT and IIM graduates outside India. Tamil is one of its four official languages, while other Indian languages such as Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, and Bengali are taught in schools.

Members of the Indian community have earned recognition from India as well. Piyush Gupta, CEO of DBS Bank, received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2023, while Atul Temurnikar, Chairman of Global Schools Foundation, was honoured with the award in 2025.

Prime Minister Wong’s visit is expected to give new momentum to the India-Singapore partnership. The two leaders are likely to identify fresh opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment, technology, and cultural exchange, reaffirming the enduring bond between the two countries.