India and Singapore on Thursday elevated their bilateral ties to a “comprehensive strategic partnership” and signed four MoUs, including on cooperation in semiconductors, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his counterpart Lawrence Wong.

During his opening remarks, Modi said Singapore is not only a partner nation but it is an inspiration for every developing country.

“PM Modi and PM Wong discussed and reviewed cooperation in a very wide range of subjects including trade and investment, Defence and Security, Fintech and digital economy, green corridors and sustainability, food security, advance management including semiconductors, connectivity, health resilience supply chains. Four MoUs were exchanged and these are in cooperation in semiconductors ecosystem and digital technologies in skill development and education and in healthcare,” Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary East, Ministry of External Affairs, India said.

They also reviewed existing cooperation in the fields of defence and security, maritime domain awareness, education, AI, Fintech, new technology domains, science and technology and knowledge partnership. The two leaders called for strengthening connectivity between the countries to enhance economic and people-to-people ties. They also called for acceleration in green corridor projects.

The two leaders discussed the outcome of the 2nd India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable held in Singapore in August 2024.

Singapore looks forward to strengthening bilateral ties and creating new opportunities for the people of the two nations, he said.

Modi is here on a two-day visit at the invitation of Wong.

Ahead of the talks with Wong, Modi received a red carpet-welcome at the Singapore Parliament House. He also signed the visitor’s book there.

The meeting between the two leaders comes months after Wong took over as premier and Modi began his third term as prime minister.

Modi flew to Singapore on Wednesday after wrapping his visit to Brunei, the first bilateral visit there by an Indian prime minister.

He was accorded a warm welcome by the Indian community on his arrival here.