Gs 2 – IR
Context
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong visited India (September 2–4, 2025) to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties. The visit reaffirmed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), a key pillar of India’s Act East Policy.
The partnership is structured around the “5-S Plank”:
- Scale up Trade & Investment
- Speed up Connectivity
- Smart Cities & Urban Rejuvenation
- Skill Development
- State-level Focus
Key Outcomes & Agreements
- Green & Digital Shipping Corridors
- MoU to strengthen green fuel supply chains and digital port clearance systems.
- Promotes sustainable, technology-driven maritime logistics.
- Skilling & Advanced Manufacturing
- Singapore to help set up a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling (Chennai).
- Focus on advanced manufacturing, automation, and industry-ready skills.
- Semiconductor Ecosystem
- Expansion of the India–Singapore Semiconductor Partnership.
- Singapore to explore investments in India’s semiconductor manufacturing chain.
- Civil Aviation & Nuclear Energy
- 5 MoUs signed in aviation, training, and energy cooperation.
- Discussion on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) for future civil nuclear energy collaboration.
- Defence & Maritime Security
- Collaboration in AI, quantum computing, automation, unmanned systems.
- Singapore backed India’s interest in joining the Malacca Straits Patrols (MSP).
Significance of the Malacca Strait for India
- Maritime Chokepoint: Links Indian Ocean → South China Sea → Pacific Ocean.
- Energy Security:
- ~80% of India’s oil imports & ~30% of its trade passes through this route.
- Geostrategic Advantage:
- Andaman & Nicobar Islands located near the Strait.
- Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) ensures surveillance & rapid naval response.
- IFC-IOR (Gurugram) facilitates regional maritime intelligence sharing.
- Regional Security Role:
- Joining MSP (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand) will enhance India’s role as a net security provider in the Indo-Pacific.
- Counters China’s increasing influence in maritime routes.
Malacca Strait:
- Location: A narrow stretch of water between Malaysia (west) and Indonesia’s Sumatra Island, connecting the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.