Singapore High Commissioner Simon Wong marks ASEAN Day with first-ever ASEAN flag illumination at Delhi's Qutub Minar
New Delhi, August 8
Singapore's High Commissioner to India, Simon Wong, on Friday marked ASEAN Day by celebrating the first-ever illumination of the ASEAN flag on Delhi's iconic Qutub Minar, highlighting the close partnership between ASEAN member states and India.
Sharing pictures of the event on X, Wong wrote, "Very happy to celebrate #ASEAN Day with our ANDC Family in New Delhi with the first-ever @ASEAN flag illumination of the #QutubMinar. Many thanks to our Philippines Chair."
The event comes amid deepening India-Singapore ties following the 19th round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) held in New Delhi on Thursday, where both countries reviewed progress under the Roadmap for the India-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and discussed regional and global developments.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the consultations were led by Secretary (East) Rudrendra Tandon on the Indian side and Permanent Secretary (Policy) Luke Goh of Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The two sides reviewed cooperation across the eight priority areas identified under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Roadmap, which is being implemented through the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR).
The discussions covered economic cooperation, skills development, digitalisation, sustainability, connectivity, healthcare and medicine, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, as well as defence and security cooperation.
The MEA said both sides also exchanged views on regional and global developments and reaffirmed the importance of close coordination at international and regional forums, including ASEAN, to address shared challenges.
During his visit to India, Permanent Secretary Luke Goh also called on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and held meetings with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Dr Rajiv Mani, Secretary, Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice.
Sharing details of his meeting with Goh on X, Jaishankar said the discussions focused on strengthening bilateral engagement and exploring new opportunities in manufacturing, technology, food security and energy flows.
India and Singapore elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Singapore in September 2024, with both countries continuing to expand cooperation across strategic, economic and technological sectors.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Nice to see diplomatic gestures like this. But I hope the govt also focuses on boosting trade and skill development for our youth, especially in sectors mentioned like digitalisation and healthcare. Symbolism is good, but outcomes matter more.
Great to see India strengthening ties with ASEAN nations. The 🇸🇬 Singapore partnership is crucial for regional stability and economic growth. This flag illumination is a beautiful cultural exchange. 🌏
ASEAN Day celebration at Qutub Minar is a testament to India's Act East Policy. However, I wish such events got more media coverage and public awareness. Most Indians don't even know what ASEAN is. Need more people-to-people exchanges, as mentioned in the roadmap.
Beautiful initiative! Qutub Minar looks stunning with the ASEAN flag colors. It's heartening to see India's commitment to multilateralism and regional cooperation. Also appreciate the focus on sustainability and connectivity in the partnership discussions. 👏
International diplomacy aside, I'm curious about the economic impact. With Singapore being a major FDI source for India, especially in tech and manufacturing, I hope this partnership translates into more jobs and tech transfers for Indian firms. Fingers crossed! 🤞
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