India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable reviews progress in Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
New Delhi, August 21. The fourth India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) was held in Singapore on August 20 bringing together senior ministers from both countries to review progress in their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and identify new areas for cooperation.
India was represented by Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, 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. Singapore’s delegation included Deputy Prime Minister and Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo, and Transport Minister and Second Minister for Finance Jeffrey Siow.
The ministers assessed progress under the six key pillars of the CSP – advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitalisation, healthcare and medicine, skills development, and sustainability. They also discussed opportunities to expand cooperation in emerging sectors, including the green economy, industrial parks, food security, digital connectivity and fintech, semiconductors, and green shipping.
The two sides highlighted several developments achieved through the ISMR framework. These included a substantial rise in transactions through the UPI-PayNow linkage, a pilot programme for registering Indian generic medicines in Singapore, and expanded exports of Indian litchis, mangoes, cherries and plums. Singapore has also approved Indian establishments for the export of processed poultry products. Other initiatives include the development of a National Centre of Excellence for skilling in Chennai, preparations for the fourth Singapore-India Hackathon in Singapore from November 15 to 17, 2026, the forthcoming Green Lane Initiative for semiconductors, development of a green hydrogen supply chain, and the opening of the Singapore Business Federation’s office in Bengaluru.
The ministers also agreed to strengthen connections between Indian states and Singapore, including through regular visits by Indian chief ministers.
Three cooperation documents were exchanged during the meeting. The first was a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to promote the exchange of technical information on food safety and facilitate bilateral trade in agricultural and food products.
The second MoU, between India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Singapore’s Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, establishes a framework for cooperation on maritime heritage. It will encourage exchanges between museums and other relevant institutions in both countries, including the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal in Gujarat.
The third document was a letter of intent between the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). It seeks to facilitate the sharing of experiences and information on regulation of the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors.
During the visit, the Indian ministers also met Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held discussions with Jeffrey Siow, while External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Senior Minister K Shanmugam and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Jaishankar and Balakrishnan also jointly laid the foundation stone for the new Chancery-cum-Residential Building Complex of the High Commission of India in Singapore.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal addressed the India-Singapore Business Forum and met prospective investors and industry representatives. Along with Singapore Minister of State Gan Siow Huang, he visited an exhibition showcasing Indian agricultural products aimed at encouraging their export to Singapore.
Minister of State Jitin Prasada held discussions with stakeholders from the semiconductor industry, with a Semiconductor Industry Roundtable also taking place during the visit.
The ministers additionally received the report of the fourth India-Singapore Business Roundtable (ISBR), a strategic advisory platform that brings together leading business representatives to provide industry perspectives on bilateral economic cooperation.
The ISMR mechanism reflects the broad-based and forward-looking nature of India-Singapore relations. The partnership was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Singapore in September 2024, while a roadmap for the partnership was adopted during Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s visit to India in September 2025.
