Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong for standing with India during a difficult time. The acknowledgment came in the backdrop of the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives earlier this year in April. Speaking after his bilateral talks with Wong in New Delhi, Modi made it clear that India and Singapore face similar threats from terrorism and share a responsibility to confront it together.

“In the wake of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Wong and the Government of Singapore for their sympathy towards the people of India and for their support in our fight against terrorism. We believe that fighting terrorism with unity is the duty of all humanitarian countries,” Modi said.

His remarks carried both diplomatic significance and moral weight. The April attack, one of the deadliest in recent years, led India to respond firmly through Operation Sindoor, which involved strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Modi’s statement in front of the visiting Singaporean leader was not only an expression of gratitude but also a reminder that the fight against global terror networks requires a collective response. By highlighting the shared duty of “humanitarian countries,” Modi underscored India’s push for stronger international collaboration on security.

60 Years of India–Singapore Friendship

As the two nations marked 60 years of diplomatic ties, Prime Minister Modi emphasized the significance of Wong’s visit. He noted that the relationship between India and Singapore has grown far beyond traditional diplomacy and now reflects a deeper, purposeful bond.

“During my last visit to Singapore, we elevated our ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. This relationship goes far beyond diplomacy—it is a partnership with purpose, rooted in shared values, guided by mutual interests, and driven by a common vision for peace, progress, and prosperity,” Modi observed.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is on a three-day official visit to India, echoed the sentiment during his remarks. Describing the India-Singapore partnership as crucial in the current global climate, he said that the friendship rests on trust and a rich shared history.

“Together we can strengthen resilience, seize new opportunities and contribute to stability and growth in our region and beyond. I look forward to working hand in hand with Prime Minister Modi to bring the Singapore-India partnership to even greater heights,” Wong said.

The Indian Prime Minister further highlighted new areas of cooperation. These include advanced manufacturing, green shipping, civil nuclear energy, water management in urban settings, and cutting-edge domains such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and digital connectivity. Modi pointed out that Singapore is already India’s largest trading partner in Southeast Asia and continues to be a vital pillar of India’s Act East policy. Trade, investment, defence cooperation, and people-to-people ties between the two countries have all deepened steadily over the years.

He also underlined the impact of successful initiatives such as the UPI-PayNow linkage, the Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership, and ongoing space collaboration. To further engage young talent, Modi announced that the next India-Singapore Hackathon will be held later this year, creating new platforms for innovation and partnership.

Expanding Cooperation into New Frontiers

Looking to the future, Prime Minister Wong highlighted space as a promising area of cooperation. He pointed out that India has already successfully launched more than 20 satellites built in Singapore and welcomed the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on space collaboration. This, he said, would “push the boundaries of what we can achieve together.”

He also emphasized that people-to-people connections form the “bedrock” of the bilateral relationship. To strengthen these bonds further, both countries are planning to expand cooperation in civil service exchanges and cultural programs.

The Singaporean leader’s visit has been marked by an intense and wide-ranging agenda. On Tuesday, Wong met with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, where discussions centered on expanding trade and investment, fintech cooperation, skill development, healthcare, sustainability, and connectivity projects. That same day, he, along with his wife Loo Tze Lui, paid respects at Rajghat, paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of peace and humanity.

On Wednesday, Wong met BJP National President and Union Health Minister JP Nadda, further deepening political linkages between the two sides. Earlier on Thursday, he also held talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Jaishankar expressed confidence that Wong’s visit would set the roadmap for the next phase of the India-Singapore strategic partnership and posted on X: “Appreciate his constant encouragement for strengthening India-Singapore ties.”