Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Singapore PM Lawrence Wong at the historic Sri Temasek bungalow – the official residence of the Singaporean Prime Minister – for a private dinner on September 4, a few hours after his arrival in the country on the final leg of his two-nation tour.
The ongoing visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is PM Modi’s fifth visit to Singapore. He had last visited the country in 2018.
On September 5, PM Modi will receive an official welcome at the Parliament House, call on Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and meet Prime Minister Wong. PM Modi will also meet Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.
Following the bilaterals, the PM is scheduled to participate in a business roundtable with Singaporean business leaders organised by the Singapore Business Federation, interact with Singapore’s semiconductor ecosystem players, and engage students from Singapore in the India Ready Talent Programme who did internships in India, and the Odisha World Skills Center interns in Singapore companies.
Earlier, PM Modi arrived in Singapore in the afternoon after wrapping up a historic two-day trip to Brunei, the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM to the southeast Asian nation.
Upon his arrival, he was received by Singapore’s Minister of Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam.
At the hotel, members of the Indian diaspora gave a rousing welcome to the Prime Minister with traditional Maharashtrian dance and drums.
Adding to the excitement of those present at the venue, including several children, PM Modi also tried his hand at the dhol. Expressing his enthusiasm, PM Modi shared on X, “Landed in Singapore. Looking forward to the various meetings aimed at boosting the India-Singapore friendship. India’s reforms and the talent of our Yuva Shakti make our nation an ideal investment destination. We also look forward to closer cultural ties.”