Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a three-day visit to Brunei and Singapore tomorrow. Briefing the media in New Delhi today, Secretary (East) Jaideep Mazumdar said the Prime Minister will visit Brunei on September 3rd and 4th at the invitation of Brunei’s Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. He said 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.

Secretary (East) Mazumdar mentioned that Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah paid state visits to India in 1992 and 2008 and also attended the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summits in 2012 and 2018. During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will engage in bilateral discussions on all aspects of bilateral relations and cooperation with Brunei and explore new areas of collaboration. India shares warm and friendly relations with Brunei, covering multiple areas such as defense, trade and investment, energy, space technology, health, capacity building, culture, and vibrant people-to-people exchanges. Mr. Mazumdar noted that the Indian diaspora in Brunei numbers about 14,000, comprising a substantial number of doctors and teachers who have earned goodwill and respect for their contributions to Brunei’s economy and society. He added that India has received valuable support from Brunei in its space program and that defense is another important pillar of bilateral cooperation. He emphasized that Brunei is an important partner in India’s ‘Act East’ Policy and its vision for the Indo-Pacific.

On the second leg of his tour, the Prime Minister will visit Singapore on September 4th and 5th at the invitation of his counterpart, Lawrence Wong. The leaders will review the progress of the India-Singapore Strategic Partnership and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. Secretary (East) Mazumdar mentioned that Prime Minister Modi is visiting Singapore after nearly six years. He added that the visit comes at a time when a new leader in Singapore—Prime Minister Lawrence Wong—has taken office. He said this is an opportune moment to set the stage for the next phase of the India-Singapore relationship. Mr. Mazumdar further stated that the bilateral ties between the two countries have evolved, marking a dynamic strategic partnership encompassing diverse areas. India has robust defense cooperation with Singapore, and trade and investment flows have shown steady growth. Singapore is India’s largest trade partner in ASEAN and a leading source of foreign direct investment.