India and Singapore has finalised November 23-25 as dates for Narendra Modi's most awaited visit to the country, which will mark the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Singapore. While the highlight of the visit will be the signing of a strategic partnership agreement between the two countries, Singapore has also chosen Modi to deliver the prestigious Singapore Lecture for 2015.
The government is also in works for a San Jose like community reception given the significant presence of Indians and people of Indian origin there. “The focus will be on economic and strategic cooperation. The strategic partnership agreement will elevate ties to the next level,” said an official. Singapore foreign minister K Shanmugam will visit India October 12 to hold talks with counterpart Sushma Swaraj in preparation for Modi's visit. Modi will also address an economic convention comprising top business leaders from both countries.
Both the countries have engaged actively since Modi came to power in May 2014. His counterpart Lee Hsien Loong immediately wrote to Modi inviting him to visit Singapore at the earliest. This was followed by a visit to India by Shanmugam in June 2014. While Swaraj visited Singapore to inaugurate celebrations for 50th anniversary of bilateral ties, chief ministers of Rajasthan, West Bengal, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh too visited the country. Modi himself travelled to Singapore in March this year to attend the funeral of its first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
