PM Lee Hsien Loong's Statement to the Media After the MOU Signing Ceremony in New Delhi, India (Jul 2012)

Your Excellency Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

Distinguished media representatives

Ladies and Gentlemen

I am glad to be back in India after seven years.

Relations between Singapore and India are in excellent shape. I was honoured to host Prime Minister Singh in Singapore last November, and I thank the Prime Minister for receiving me so warmly on this trip. I deeply appreciate the Prime Minister’s long and deep personal commitment to our bilateral relationship.

Prime Minister Singh and I had an excellent discussion today. We agreed that bilateral cooperation had progressed significantly and that there were still many more opportunities to further our relations. One example is vocational training. When Prime Minister Singh visited Singapore last November, we agreed to increase cooperation in vocational training and skills development. Therefore, I am pleased to witness here today, with the Prime Minister, the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Cooperation in Vocational Education and Skills Development. This is our first G-to-G MOU with India in vocational education. It paves the way for many concrete initiatives downstream, beginning with the World Class Skills Centre (WCSC) in Delhi. The WCSC is a collaboration between Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education and the Delhi State Government’s Department of Training and Technical Education. When fully completed, the WCSC is expected to train up to 15,000 students annually in various fields, such as production and manufacturing, retail merchandising, hospitality and tourism. Temasek Foundation, which is a Singapore philanthropic organisation, is co-sponsoring the first capacity-building programme to support the establishment of the WCSC.

The Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) which we signed here in 2005 remains the cornerstone of our robust economic relations. CECA has catalysed our trade and investment links. Singapore is now India’s second largest cumulative investor, while Indian companies form the largest foreign contingent in Singapore. We have directed our officials to expedite the conclusion of the second review of the CECA. This will benefit our businesses and citizens significantly.

Our countries also enjoy strong defence ties. The Army and Air Force Bilateral Agreements allow the Singapore Armed Forces to conduct regular training exercises and professional exchanges with their Indian counterparts. I thank the Government of India for the opportunity to train in India. Today, Prime Minister Singh and I witnessed the renewal of the Air Force Bilateral Agreement and we discussed the Army Bilateral Agreement. We hope it will be renewed in 2013.

Our people-to-people ties are strong and extensive. The two Speakers of our Parliaments will launch the India-Singapore Parliamentary Friendship Group tomorrow. This is another valuable platform to strengthen links between our leaders and institutions.

Prime Minister Singh and I also exchanged views on international and regional developments. We reaffirmed our shared vision for peace, prosperity and stability in the region, based on an open and inclusive regional architecture. Singapore continues to support India’s Look East Policy and welcomes its active engagement of ASEAN. In particular, we encourage India to participate actively and fully in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which ASEAN is launching with our dialogue partners.

Finally, I would like to underscore the great importance that Singapore places on our friendship and collaboration with India. I am confident that our partnership will strengthen and grow in the years ahead.

Thank you!