Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong visited a semiconductor facility of AEM Holdings Ltd, a leading Singaporean company in the electronics sector. This visit follows the upgradation of India-Singapore relations to a comprehensive and strategic partnership as both countries are exploring synergies between the two countries in semiconductor manufacturing.
According to a release by the Ministry of External Affairs, the two leaders were briefed about AEM’s role in the global semiconductor value chain, its operations and plans for India. Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association gave a briefing on the development of the semiconductor ecosystem in Singapore and opportunities for collaboration with India.
“Semiconductors and technology are important facets of India-Singapore cooperation. This is also a sector where India is increasing its presence. Today, PM Wong and I visited AEM Holdings Ltd. We look forward to working together in this sector and giving our youth more opportunities,” said PM Modi on X.
PM Modi also invited the Singaporean semiconductor companies to participate in the SEMICON INDIA exhibition to be held in Greater Noida on September 11-13, 2024. Prior to the PM’s visit, India and Singapore had held the second meeting of the Ministerial Roundtable, wherein sides agreed to add Advance Manufacturing, with focus on semiconductors, as a pillar for enhancing bilateral cooperation.
PM Modi interacts with Odisha interns
The two PMs also interacted with Indian interns from Odisha’s World Skill Centre undergoing training in Singapore as well as Singaporean interns who had visited India under the CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme and Indian engineers working at AEM, said the MEA. This visit by both the Prime Ministers underscores the commitment of both sides to develop cooperation in this area.
“It was wonderful to interact with interns from Odisha’s World Skill Centre who are visiting Singapore and interns from Singapore who have been to India as a part of the CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme. I also met a team of Indian engineers working at AEM Holdings. Such cooperation is indeed special and celebrates human talent as well as innovation,” the Indian PM said.
Modi later attended a lunch hosted by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and is slated to call on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam later in the day. Modi will also meet with Singaporean business leaders and interact with those in the country’s semiconductor ecosystem.
India, Singapore elevate strategic partnership
PM Modi received a red-carpet welcome at the Parliament House on Thursday as he met Wong, after which they elevated the bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The two leaders extensively reviewed various facets of the bilateral relationship covering areas of advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitalisation, healthcare and medicine, skills development and sustainability.
Speaking at the delegation-level talks, PM Modi said, “This is our first meeting after you assumed the post of Prime Minister… I am confident that under the leadership of 4G, Singapore will progress even faster. Singapore is not just a country, Singapore is an inspiration for every developing country. We also want to create several Singapores in India and I am happy that we are working together in this direction. The ministerial roundtable that has been formed between us is a path-breaking mechanism.”
The leaders also witnessed the exchange of several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on the India-Singapore Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership, cooperation in the field of Digital Technologies, Education Cooperation and Skills Development and Health and Medicine. The meeting between the two leaders comes months after Wong took over as premier and Modi began his third term as prime minister.
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