Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, PM Lee Hsien Loong greet India on Republic Day, talk about strengthening bilateral ties

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong greeted Indian leaders because the nation celebrated Republic Day on Friday (January 26, 2024) and wished to additional strengthen ties between the 2 nations.

In a letter despatched to Indian President Droupadi Murmu, President Shanmugaratnam mentioned: “On behalf of the individuals of Singapore, I lengthen my warmest congratulations to Your Excellency and the individuals of the Republic of India on the auspicious event of India’s seventy fifth Republic Day.”

“Singapore and India share an extended and heat partnership, underpinned by shut people-to-people ties and robust cooperation in a mess of fields,” the letter learn.

The Singaporean President congratulated India for the profitable conclusion of India’s G20 Presidency.

“As Country Coordinator for ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations, Singapore additionally co-hosted the inaugural ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise with India in May 2023. This mirrored the deeper engagement either side have loved underneath the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership which was upgraded in 2022,” the letter mentioned.

“I sit up for persevering with to work with you to additional strengthen ties between our two international locations,” the President mentioned.

In his letter, Tharman Shanmugaratnam ‘fondly’ recalled his go to to India in 2022 and 2023.

In his letter addressed to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, PM Loong mentioned: “You might be happy to know that the PayNow-Unified Payments Interface linkage that we collectively launched in February 2023 has seen a gradual uptake of customers. This has made cross-border transactions safer and sooner for companies and people on either side.”

He mentioned he’s trying ahead to working with Modi to additional deepen and strengthen Singapore-India relations.

On February 21, final yr, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong launched the real-time funds system linkage between India and Singapore.

What is Republic Day?

India celebrates Republic Day to mark the adoption of the nation’s structure and the transition to a republic.