These visits will further strengthen India’s cooperation with Brunei and Singapore both bilaterally and within the regional and multilateral frameworks.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the invitation of Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, is scheduled to visit Brunei Darussalam during September 03-04, 2024.

This will be the first ever bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Brunei. The visit coincides with the 40th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Brunei, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Brunei is an important partner in India’s ‘Act East’ Policy and its vision of Indo-Pacific.

India and Brunei established diplomatic relations on May 10, 1984, and since then, the relationship has grown steadily.

The Indian mission in Brunei was established in 1993, and Brunei's resident High Commission was set up in India in 1992.

Over the years, the Sultan of Brunei, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, has been a strong advocate for closer relations with India, supporting the welfare of the Indian community in Brunei and endorsing India’s ‘Look East Policy’ and ‘Act East Policy.’

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the visit is expected to further strengthen cooperation in various sectors, including defence, trade and investment, energy, space technology, healthcare, and cultural exchanges.

Moreover, it will open new avenues for collaboration in emerging sectors, which are crucial for the growth and development of both nations.
Brunei, with its rich natural resources, particularly oil and gas, is an important partner for India in the Indo-Pacific region.

The visit is expected to enhance cooperation in energy security, an area of significant interest to both countries. Additionally, India is keen to explore opportunities for collaboration in the field of space technology, given Brunei's strategic location and India's advancements in space exploration.

Over the past four decades, India and Brunei have built a relationship based on mutual respect and cooperation. The Sultan of Brunei has played a pivotal role in nurturing this relationship.

Currently, more than 14,000 Indians live in Brunei.

In the second leg of his two Southeast Asian nations visit, Prime Minister Modi will arrive in Singapore on September 4.

During his September 4-5 visit, PM Modi along with his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong will review the progress of India-Singapore Strategic Partnership and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will also call on President of Singapore Tharman Shanmugaratnam and interact with Singaporean leadership.

The Prime Minister will also meet with business leaders from Singapore.

Earlier on August 26, India and Singapore held the second round of the Ministerial Roundtable.

From the Indian side, the meeting was attended by Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw.

According to the MEA, India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable is a unique mechanism established to set a new agenda for India–Singapore bilateral relations.

Its inaugural meeting was held in New Delhi in September 2022. This meeting will enable both sides to review various aspects of their Strategic Partnership and identify new avenues to further elevate and broaden it.