Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister of Singapore, Teo Chee Hean, today reiterated that India and Singapore share a partnership with purpose rooted in shared values, guided by mutual interests, and driven by a common vision for peace, progress, and prosperity. Addressing the 5th Atal Bihari Vajpayee Memorial Lecture in New Delhi, Mr. Hean called for the development of innovative solutions to address future challenges. He said that the success will depend on sustained, multigenerational commitment from all stakeholders, governments, policymakers, businesses and citizens. He further affirmed that India will always find a ready partner in Singapore.
Mr Hean said, India-Singapore ties are deeply rooted in history, highlighting that the name Singapore was derived from Sanskrit, reflecting India’s early influence in Southeast Asia. He underlined that bilateral relations between the two countries were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Singapore last September. He added that this visit reflected the shared commitment to enhancing cooperation. Lauding former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mr. Hean said that Mr. Vajpayee oversaw a period of strong growth in Singapore-India relations. Recalling Mr. Vajpayee’s lecture on India’s perspectives on ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific region in April 2002, Mr. Hean noted that Mr. Vajpayee spoke about how India and ASEAN share deep historical, cultural, and commercial ties. He added that Mr Vajpayee’s was also focused on how they can build an inclusive partnership based on economic cooperation, connectivity, and collaborative security frameworks.
He further highlighted that under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India-Singapore and India-ASEAN relations have continued to deepen and have expanded across trade and investment into emerging areas of technology. Mr. Hean also underlined that India is investing in expanding its maritime sector and modernising its ports and logistics corridors.
The annual memorial lecture series is organised as a tribute to the towering statesman and visionary former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his lifelong contributions to nation-building and to shaping India’s foreign policy as External Affairs Minister and Prime Minister.
