New Delhi, Jan 13 (UNI) The Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will be on a State visit to India from January 14-18, in his first visit to India as president.
He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Ministers, Members of Parliament and officials, a statement said.
President Tharman will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan on January 16.
During his visit, President Tharman will hold discussions with President Droupadi Murmu, who will also host a banquet in his honour. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with the President of Singapore. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and several other Indian dignitaries will call on President Tharman. President Tharman will also visit Odisha from January 17-18.
India and Singapore have extensive cooperation based on a long tradition of friendship, trust and mutual respect. President Tharman’s visit is expected to provide further momentum to bilateral relations, which were elevated to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Singapore during September 4-.
The State Visit will also mark the beginning of the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Singapore.
A Singapore readout said:
President Tharman will meet overseas Singaporeans in New Delhi at a reception to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Singapore-India diplomatic relations and Singapore’s 60th year of independence (SG60). President will also interact with a group of Indian thought leaders in a closed-door roundtable session. In addition, President Tharman will confer the Honorary Citizen Award on Tarun Das, the former Director General of the Confederation of Indian Industry.
In Bhubaneswar, Odisha, President Tharman will receive a call by the Chief Minister of Odisha Mohan Charan Majhi and get briefings on Odisha’s economic strategies and opportunities. Chief Minister Majhi will also host President Tharman to an official dinner. President Tharman will also visit the World Skills Centre, which was set up by Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education Education Services (ITEES) with funding from the Asian Development Bank, and a vaccine manufacturing plant run by Bharat Biotech. He will also visit a few places reflecting Odisha’s cultural heritage.
President Tharman will be accompanied in New Delhi and Odisha by Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Transport, and Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann, Members of Parliament Lim Biow Chuan, Joan Pereira and Wan Rizal, as well as officials from President’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and Enterprise Singapore. A business delegation will also join the President in Odisha to explore collaboration in skills development and other areas of economic development.
UNI RN