Mr. Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East) at the Ministry of External Affairs, announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Brunei from September 3-4 and Singapore from September 4-5. This trip marks Modi’s first return to the region in six years. Mazumdar emphasised India’s keen interest in advancing semiconductor collaboration with Singapore, citing the country’s extensive experience and integration into the global semiconductor market. He expressed anticipation that this visit will strengthen the partnership, particularly as Singapore expands its operations in India.
Mazumdar also pointed out that Singapore’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) reached US$ 11.77 billion last year. On the topic of space and defence cooperation with Brunei, he mentioned ongoing projects in tele military tracking and command, which will continue to evolve with advancements in technology and changing needs. He highlighted that hydrocarbons make up 60-70% of the trade between India and Brunei, amounting to around US$ 250 million, with crude oil alone valued at about US$ 270 million. Despite current modest figures, there is significant potential for growth, especially in the natural gas sector.
