India and Singapore Celebrate 60 Years of Diplomatic Ties at Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi, January 17, 2025 — President Droupadi Murmu extended a warm welcome to Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday, hosting a grand banquet in his honor. The occasion was graced by high-profile leaders, including Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Union Minister Piyush Goyal, underscoring the significance of the event.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Rashtrapati Bhavan noted, “President Droupadi Murmu received President Tharman Shanmugaratnam of Singapore at Rashtrapati Bhavan and hosted a banquet in his honor. The President emphasized that the close ties between India and Singapore are rooted in centuries-old commercial, cultural, and people-to-people connections.” This statement reflected the deep historical and enduring bond between the two nations.
During the meeting, President Murmu also acknowledged Singapore’s impressive development since its independence, calling it an example for all developing nations. “Singapore is a valuable partner for India in our developmental journey,” President Murmu remarked, reinforcing the importance of the bilateral relationship.
A key highlight of the event was the unveiling of a commemorative logo to mark the 60th anniversary of India-Singapore diplomatic relations. The logo, jointly released by both leaders, features elements from both nations’ national symbols, incorporating the colors of the Indian and Singaporean flags, as well as the national flowers—the lotus of India and the orchid of Singapore. The number “60” prominently displayed in the logo highlights the significant milestone in the bilateral history of the two countries.
The milestone anniversary was also celebrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Tharman during a separate meeting, where they discussed enhancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Singapore. Both leaders deliberated on strengthening cooperation in futuristic sectors such as semiconductors, digitalization, skilling, and connectivity, in addition to exploring ways to further improve ties in industry, infrastructure, and culture.
Over the years, India and Singapore have significantly expanded their cooperation, with areas of collaboration now spanning advanced manufacturing, healthcare, digitization, sustainability, and education. Singapore remains a crucial partner for India’s Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific strategy, further solidifying its strategic importance in India’s foreign relations.
The 60th anniversary celebrations, which began with Thursday’s event, will continue throughout 2025 with a series of commemorative initiatives to honor the enduring partnership between the two nations. This milestone event highlights the strong ties and shared vision for a prosperous future between India and Singapore.
