PM Modi to visit Brunei, Singapore next week: MEA

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Brunei from September 3-4 and thereafter travel to Singapore from September 4-5, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday. While addressing a weekly media briefing, Jaiswal said that PM Modi will be visiting Brunei at the invitation of Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and it will be the first-ever bilateral visit by the Indian PM.

He said, "Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, at the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, is scheduled to visit Brunei Darussalam, on the 3rd and 4th of September, 2024. This will be the first-ever bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Brunei. The visit coincides with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Brunei." After concluding his visit to Brunei, PM Modi will travel to Singapore at the invitation of his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong.

"From Brunei, the Prime Minister will thereafter visit Singapore on 4th and 5th September 2024, at the invitation of Prime Minister His Excellency Mr Lawrence Wong of Singapore. During the visit, there are several elements of the program which you will see in the press release that we will do shortly after this presser," Jaiswal said.

On August 26, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, and Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw participated in the second India-Singapore Ministerial Dialogue (ISMR). The two nations explored cooperation in digital, skill development, sustainability, healthcare, connectivity, and advanced manufacturing.

Taking to X, Jaishankar stated, "A productive 2nd India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable today. We explored cooperation in digital, skill development, sustainability, healthcare, connectivity, and advanced manufacturing. Thank DPM Gan Kim Yong, FM @VivianBala, Home Affairs & Law Minister @kshanmugam, Digital Development and Information Minister @joteo_ylm, Minister for Manpower Dr Tan See Leng and Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat for their commitment to deepening our relationship.

ISMR enables the emergence of a more contemporary partnership." Notably, ties between India and Brunei were established on 10 May 1984. Indian Mission in Brunei was established on 18 May 1993. Before this, the Indian Mission in Kuala Lumpur was concurrently accredited to Brunei, according to MEA. The two nations share close relations based on their strong traditional & cultural linkages and common membership of the United Nations, NAM, Commonwealth, ASEAN, etc, according to MEA.

Brunei Government has been supportive of India's 'Look East Policy' and 'Act East Policy' for expansion and deepening of cooperation with ASEAN.