Prelims – Current events of National and International importance.
Why in News?
Recently, India and Singapore have signed 5 key agreements to deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership.
- Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) – 5 MoUs signed between India and Singapore, which include
- Co-operation on a green and digital shipping corridor
- Collaborations in the space sector
- Training, Research and Development in the field of Civil Aviation
- Digital asset innovation
- Setting up of a national centre of excellence for skilling in advanced manufacturing in Chennai.
- Co-operation on a green and digital shipping corridor – It focused on infrastructure and technologies to enable uptake of zero or near-zero greenhouse gas emission fuels.
- It includes regulatory standards and collaboration on digital solutions and smart port technologies to optimise maritime operations.
- Collaboration in Space Sector – It promotes collaboration between the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) and the Office for Space Technology & Industry, Singapore.
- Cooperation in space policy and law, and joint R&D in areas like Earth observation and satellite communication.
- Civil aviation – MoU between the Airports Authority of India and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore for training, research and development.
- It enhances cooperation on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) towards promoting cleaner and sustainable energy solutions in the aviation sector.
- Digital asset innovation – MoU between the Reserve Bank of India and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, focusing on developing efficient digital financial channels to support cross-border financial flows.
- It strengthens cooperation between stakeholders on both sides on cyber policies, CERT-CERT information exchange, cyber security capacity building and cybersecurity-related issues.
- Skill Development – The agreement to set up a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Advanced Manufacturing in Chennai highlights a focus on vocational and technical education, crucial for India's ambition to become a manufacturing hub.
- Defence Co-operation – Regular meetings between the two Defence Ministers through the Defence Policy Dialogue.
- Defence Technology – It collaborates in Quantum Computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Unmanned Vessels.
- Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative – Cooperate on maritime security and submarine rescue under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.
- Work closely with regional frameworks like the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
- Singapore acknowledged India’s plans to patrol the strategically important Malacca Strait.
- Cross-border terrorism – It will strengthen cooperation to fight against terrorism and terror organisations, proscribed by the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee and to combat terror financing through platforms like the FATF.
References
- The Hindu| India’s plan to patrol Malacca Strait
- PM India| India - Singapore Joint Statement
Related News – India-Singapore Bilateral Relation
