Singapore PM to arrive today, focus on trade, education

Singapore will help India in setting up a world-class skill development centre, imparting vocational education, in the national capital region. An agreement on establishing such an institution is expected to be signed after Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong meets Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday.

Singapore's Education Minister Heng Swee Keat is accompanying the PM, and they are expected to formulate the details with the Union HRD Ministry and Planning Commission.

During their talks, both the Prime Ministers will deliberate on ways to intensify trade and investment and closer collaboration in the context of global financial crisis.

The Singapore PM will be here from July 10 to 12. His delegation will include Speaker Michael Palmer. He will call on President Pratibha Patil, Vice-President Hamid Ansari and meet other dignitaries. He will address business meetings organised by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India, Confederation of Indian Industry, and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, besides participating in an event organised by the Institute of South Asian Studies, Singapore, and Aspen Institute of India.

"Singapore is India's largest trading partner among the ASEAN countries and the second largest source of FDI inflows into India. The visit of the Singapore PM coming shortly after the visit of our PM to Singapore in November last year enables a strong momentum to be maintained in bilateral relations," as per the Ministry of External Affairs statement.

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