Singapore:
Singapore President Tan Keng Yam will make a state visit to India in two weeks
to mark the golden jubilee of bilateral ties, a minister has said.
"President Tan Keng Yam will visit Delhi in two weeks'
time where he will meet Indian leaders and continue to build on bilateral
engagement between the two nations at the highest levels," Transport
Minister Lui Tuck Yew said yesterday.
India and Singapore celebrate 50 years of diplomatic
relations this year.
"India occupies a special place in Singapore's history.
50 years ago, in August 1965 when we became independent, India was one of the
very first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Singapore,"
Lui said to some 1,000 diplomats and business community leaders at India's 66th
Republic Day reception.
He also recalled India's pivotal role in Singapore's entry
into the Non-Align Movement and the visit of Singapore's first Prime Minister
Lee Kuan Yew to India in September 1966, which was one of his first official
visits.
Lui underlined the strong ties between the two countries
over the five decades.
"Our relations have progressed steadily and today we
share broad base and multi-faceted bilateral ties. Our defence forces share
strong ties. A long standing people-to-people link has continued to grow and
flourish over the years," Lui said, who was guest-of-honour at the
Republic Day reception hosted by the High Commissioner of India Vijay Thakur
Singh.
Lui also recalled the high level of engagement between the
two countries and official visits made by Ministers from both the countries in
last year.
He highlighted Singapore's recent ventures into India which
included Singapore's participation in the development of a smart capital city
for Andhra Pradesh and Vistara, the venture between Singapore Airlines-Tata
Group.
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