New Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS): Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam arrived in New Delhi Tuesday evening on a State Visit - his first to India as the President of the island nation - as both countries begin celebrations of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada received the visiting Head of State at the airport.
During his January 14-18 visit, Shanmugaratnam will hold discussions with President Droupadi Murmu, who will also host a banquet in his honour.
Accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers and members of parliament and officials, he will also hold discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan on Thursday.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and several other Indian dignitaries are scheduled to call on President Tharman on Wednesday who 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 Shri Narendra Modi to Singapore in September 2024," read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Prime Minister Modi has recently hailed the progress made in bilateral cooperation in a multitude of forward-looking areas.
"My visit to Singapore has been a very fruitful one. It will certainly add vigour to bilateral ties and benefit the people of our nations. I thank the government and people of Singapore for their warmth," PM Modi posted on X after wrapping-up his two-day visit to Singapore in September 2024.
During their previous meeting, Tharman and PM Modi had reaffirmed the longstanding friendship between both countries and discussed India's potential as a leading centre of growth over the next decade, driven by both social and digital investments across the wide span of its population, as well as its new economic linkages.