Sachin Malik: The fourth edition of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) was successfully held in Singapore, aimed at Giving a new direction to the Strategic, economic and technological Partnership between India and Singapore. The high-level meeting was attended by Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada. Singapore was represented by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Foreign Minister Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, the ministers reviewed the Progress of the India-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) across Six Pillars: advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitalisation, healthcare and medicine, Skills development and Sustainability. In view of the continued expansion of bilateral cooperation, the ministers discussed initiatives in new and emerging areas such as the Green economy, industrial Parks, food Security, digital connectivity and fintech, Semiconductors and Green Shipping, identifying them as Potential areas for deeper Cooperation.
The Ministry said the ministers took note of the Progress made under the ISMR Pillars. This included a Significant increase in UPI-PayNow linked transactions, implementation of a Pilot for the registration of Indian Generic medicines in Singapore, exports of lychees, mangoes, Cherries and Plums from India to Singapore; approval by the Singapore Food Agency of Indian establishments for exporting Processed Poultry Products to Singapore and the development of a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Chennai.
To Strengthen cooperation in food safety, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was Signed between the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Singapore Food Agency. The agreement is expected to facilitate mutual trade in agricultural and food Products. In addition, an MOU was signed between India Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Singapore Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth on maritime heritage cooperation, establishing a framework for collaboration in the field of maritime Heritage.
On the sidelines of the meeting, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar also held separate meetings with Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam and his Singaporean counterpart, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan. Jaishankar and Balakrishnan also laid the foundation Stone for the new Chancery-cum-Residential Building Complex of the High Commission of India in Singapore.
