FM Sitharaman meets Singapore PM Lawrence Wong; India reviews trade and investment roadmap with city-state

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday met Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong as India and Singapore reviewed the progress of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and discussed ways to expand bilateral economic and commercial cooperation.

Sitharaman is leading the Indian delegation for the fourth India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR), being held in Singapore. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada are also participating in the ministerial-level engagement.

Trade, investment and technology in focus

The ISMR is the principal ministerial mechanism for advancing the India-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The fourth edition is being used by both sides to take stock of ongoing initiatives and identify fresh areas for collaboration, particularly in new and emerging sectors.

The discussions are taking place alongside the fourth India-Singapore Business Roundtable, bringing together around 70 senior Indian business leaders for business-to-business, government-to-business and institutional engagements.

The business discussions are focused on investment opportunities, market access, technology partnerships and skill development, according to the Commerce Ministry. The ministerial and business roundtables will also be followed by an MoU signing ceremony.

India looks to widen commercial engagement

Goyal's visit also has a strong trade and export focus. The Commerce Minister is scheduled to hold government-to-business engagements and visit the APEDA-FairPrice initiative, which seeks to expand the presence of Indian agri-food products in the Singapore market.

The visit comes as New Delhi seeks to widen India's export footprint and attract greater investment and technology partnerships through closer engagement with Singaporean businesses and institutions.

The ISMR mechanism covers six broad areas — advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitalisation, healthcare and medicine, skills development and sustainability — providing a wider framework for economic cooperation.

Strategic partnership enters implementation phase

India and Singapore established the ISMR in 2022 as a platform to coordinate and drive bilateral cooperation. The first round was held in New Delhi in September 2022, followed by meetings in Singapore in 2024 and New Delhi in 2025.

The latest meeting assumes significance as both countries seek to move beyond broad strategic commitments towards greater implementation and commercial outcomes.

Jaishankar, who arrived in Singapore ahead of the ministerial delegation, also held talks with Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and participated in the foundation-stone ceremony for the new chancery complex of India's High Commission in Singapore.

With senior ministers and business leaders participating together, the fourth ISMR is expected to provide a platform for identifying specific investment, trade and technology opportunities and strengthening the economic pillar of the India-Singapore strategic relationship.