Image Source: Agencies

Aug 12, 2025: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Tuesday that the third meeting of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) will be held in New Delhi on August 13, 2025. Indian Ministers who will participate in the 3rd ISMR are Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs; S. Jaishankar was in charge of external affairs; Piyush Goyal was in charge of commerce and industry; and Ashwini Vaishnaw was in charge of railways, broadcasting, and electronics and information technology.

Ministers from Singapore who will participate are Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry; K. Shanmugam, who serves as both the Coordinating Minister for National Security and the Minister for Home Affairs; Vivian Balakrishnan, who serves as the Minister for Foreign Affairs; Josephine Teo, who serves as the Minister for Digital Development and Information; Tan See Leng, who serves as the Minister for Manpower; and Jeffrey Siow, who serves as the Acting Minister for Transport. ISMR, conceived by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a one-of-a-kind means of establishing a fresh agenda for cooperation between India and Singapore.

Its first meeting was in September 2022 in New Delhi, and its second meeting was in August 2024 in Singapore. There is a comprehensive strategic partnership between India and Singapore.

According to the MEA, the third round of ISMR will identify avenues for expanding and deepening our bilateral relationships. On August 9, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar honored the close relationship by wishing Singapore well on its 60th National Day and expressing gratitude for the strong ties that exist between the two nations. "Congratulate FM @VivianBala, the Government, and the People of Singapore on their 60th National Day," Jaishankar wrote. "Cherish our enduring friendship and multifaceted collaboration," he continued. Highlighting the significance of bilateral relations, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a series of extensive high-level interactions during his visit to Singapore, underscoring the importance India attaches to its ties with the country.

On July 13, EAM Jaishankar went to Singapore. He met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong and Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan during the visit, as well as the President of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam. The leaders discussed the progress of the outcomes of Prime Minister Modi's visit and the second round of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) during these engagements. Investments, semiconductors, industrial parks, infrastructure, skill development, and connectivity were among the most frequently mentioned topics.

Additionally, they discussed ASEAN, Indo-Pacific, and global events. Further strengthening economic ties, EAM Jaishankar met Teo Chee Hean, former Senior Minister & Coordinating Minister for National Security and Chairman-designate of Temasek Holdings. Their discussions focused on the transformation underway in India and opportunities for Temasek to expand its investments in the country.
MEA underlined that these visits and meetings are part of continued high-level exchanges between the two countries, reflecting the importance India attaches to its relations with Singapore.