Rest of South Asia

Bilateral Relations

By virtue of its location and population, South Asia is of strategic importance to Southeast Asia and Singapore. In recent years, a common outlook and shared interests have led to broader and deeper ties between Singapore and the South Asian countries. Trade relations between Singapore and the South Asian countries have also strengthened from year to year. Our relations with countries in South Asia are positive and friendly and are marked by cooperation in the international fora. There are also regular exchanges of high-level visits.

2012

The Non-Resident High Commissioner to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Chan Heng Wing presented his credentials to the President of Bangladesh Md Zillur Rahman on 8 March 2012. Following the presentation, HC Chan met Bangladesh Minister of Foreign Affairs Dipu Moni.

President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa made a State Visit to Singapore from 14 to 17 February 2012. He met President Tony Tan and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. During the visit, President Rajapaksa and PM Lee witnessed the signing of the MOU on Investment Cooperation between the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka and the Singapore Business Federation.

2011

Leader of the Opposition and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe of Sri Lanka visited Singapore from 26 December 2011 to 1 January 2012. During the visit, he called on Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.
A delegation from Pakistan’s National School of Public Policy (NSPP) made a study visit to Singapore from 21 to 25 November 2011. The NSPP is a training institution for civil servants in Pakistan.

The King of Bhutan HM Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and the Queen of Bhutan HM Jetsun Pema Wangchuck visited Singapore from 1 to 5 November 2011. During the visit, the King met President Tony Tan, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

Sri Lanka External Affairs Minister G L Peiris and Bangladesh Minister of Foreign Affairs Dipu Moni visited Singapore to attend the 10th Shangri-La Dialogue from 3 to 5 June 2011. Minister Peiris met Minister for Foreign Affairs K Shanmugam during the visit.

Former Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo visited Jaffna in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka from 27 to 31 July 2011 to officiate the hand-over ceremony of the Jaffna Public Library Project from the Singapore International Foundation (SIF) to the Jaffna Municipal Council. The project aimed to enhance the services in the Children’s Section of the Jaffna Public library, and was initiated by Mr Yeo during his visit to Sri Lanka in October 2009 as Foreign Minister.

The inaugural South Asian Diaspora Convention (SADC), organised by the Institute for South Asian Studies, was officiated on 21 July 2011 by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. President S R Nathan and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong were the Guest-of-Honour and the Special Guest respectively. Former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew also held a dialogue session for the SADC.

Singapore’s Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Karen Tan, who is concurrently our High Commissioner to the Republic of India, presented her credentials to the President of Nepal Ram Baran Yadav on 16 May 2011.

Singapore’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bhutan Karen Tan, who is concurrently our High Commissioner to the Republic of India, presented her credentials to the King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck on 4 May 2011.

Bangladesh Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism Ghulam Muhammed Quader visited Singapore from 14 to 16 April 2011. He met Second Minister for Transport Lim Hwee Hua.

2010

The Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed made his first official visit to Singapore from 27-28 June 2010. During the visit, he called on President S R Nathan and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs Prof G L Peiris visited Singapore on 4 to 6 June 2010 for the Shangri-la Dialogue 2010. During the visit, he called on Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo.

2009

Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo made a visit to Sri Lanka from 14 to 18 October 2009. After attending the 8th Ministerial Meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in Colombo on 15 October 2009, he also visited Jaffna, Mannar and Trincomalee

Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama visited Singapore on 29 May 2009 for the Shangri-la Dialogue 2009. During the visit, he called on Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo.

2008

Leader of the Opposition and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe of Sri Lanka visited Singapore from 11 to 14 December 2008. During the visit, he called on Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

Minister of Defence and National Security and Acting Minister of Home Affairs Ameen Faisal of Maldives visited Singapore from 19 to 21 November 2008. During the visit, he called on Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean. Minister Ameen Faisal made a subsequent trip to Singapore in January 2009, where he called on Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Ministry of Home Affairs) Masagos Zulkifli.

Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Dr Kheliya Rambukwella of Sri Lanka visited Singapore from 28 to 31 August 2008. During the visit, Minister Rambukwella called on Acting Minister for Manpower Gan Kim Yong.

Minister of Export Development and International Trade G L Peiris visited Singapore from 17 to 19 July 2008. During the visit, he gave a public lecture at the Institute of South Asia Studies and called on Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang.

Minister of Transport and Communications Mohamed Saeed of Maldives visited Singapore from 17 to 20 June 2008 to attend the 19th International Communications and Information Technology Exhibition and Conference Communicasia 2008. During the visit, he called on Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Dr Lee Boon Yang and Senior Minister of State for Transport Lim Hwee Hua.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid of Maldives visited Singapore from 20 to 21 March 2008. He called on Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo during the visit.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama of Sri Lanka led a Sri Lankan delegation to the Singapore Airshow from 17 to 20 February 2008. During the visit, he called on Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean.

2007

President S R Nathan made a State Visit to Maldives from 23 to 26 October 2007. Besides meeting with President Mamoon Abdul Gayoom, President Nathan met Minister of Defence and National Security Ismail Shafeeu, Minister of Atolls Development Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid. During the visit, President Nathan also inaugurated the Ghaazee School, which was constructed by Singapore as part of our post-tsunami assistance to Maldives.

Minister of Commerce Humayun Akhtar Khan of Pakistan visited Singapore from 24 to 25 May 2007 to inaugurate the International Symposium on Pakistan organised by the Institute of South Asian Studies. During the visit, Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan also met Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake of Sri Lanka made a working visit to Singapore on 31 Jan 2007. It was his first visit as Prime Minister. During the visit, he met President S R Nathan and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom of Maldives, accompanied by the First Lady Madam Nasreena Gayoom, made his second State Visit to Singapore from 18 to 20 January 2007 at the invitation of President S R Nathan. President Gayoom met President Nathan and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during the visit. President Nathan also hosted a State Banquet in his honour.

2006

President Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka visited Singapore from 6 to 9 December 2006 as the Guest of Honour at an exhibition on “Relics of Buddha - Grand Cultural World Exhibition”. During the visit, President Rajapaksa was hosted to dinner by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He also met President S R Nathan, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Wong Kan Seng.

Crown Prince Trongsa Penlop Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan made his first visit to Singapore from 21 to 25 August 2006. Besides an official lunch hosted by President S R Nathan in honour of the Crown Prince at the Istana, the Crown Prince also met Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo.