Singapore PM To Focus On Indian Trade Education

Singapore is ready to help India in setting up a world-class skill development centre, imparting vocational education, in the national capital region. An agreement on establishing such an institution is expected to be signed after Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong meets Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Wednesday).

Singapore's Education Minister Heng Swee Keat is accompanying the PM, and they are expected to formulate the details with the Union HRD Ministry and Planning Commission. During their talks, both the Prime Ministers will deliberate on ways to intensify trade and investment and closer collaboration in the context of global financial crisis.

The PM of Singapore will be here in India from 10 to 12 July. His delegation will include Speaker Michale Palmer. He will call on President Pratibha Patil, Vice President Hamid Ansari and meet other dignitaries. He will address business meetings organized by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India, Confederation of Indian Industry, besides participating in an event organized by the Institute of South Asian Studies, Singapore and Aspen Institute of India.

As per the Ministry of External Affairs statement, it says "Singapore is India's largest trading partner among the ASEAN countries and the second largest source of FDI inflows into India. The visit of the Singapore PM coming shortly after the visit of our PM to Singapore in November in bilateral relations".