PM Modi lands in Brunei, likely to hold talks on space and energy with Sultan
Upon arrival in the Brunei capital of Bandar Seri Begawan, Modi was given a ceremonial welcome and received by Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah.
Brunei and Singapore are important partners in India’s ‘Act East’ policy and the vision for the Indo-Pacific, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday as he embarked on a visit to the Southeast Asian nations to bolster cooperation in areas ranging from hydrocarbons to semiconductors.
Modi is the first Indian premier to make a bilateral visit to Brunei, a tiny country located on the island of Borneo that is home to an Indian diaspora of about 14,000. The Indian side has said it is keen to shore up long-term and predictable arrangements for gas supplies from Brunei.
In a statement ahead of his departure from New Delhi, Modi described Brunei and Singapore as “important partners” in the ‘Act East’ policy and said the visits will further strengthen India’s partnership with the two countries and the larger ASEAN region.
“As we celebrate 40 years of our diplomatic relations, I look forward to my meetings with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and other esteemed members of the Royal family to advance our historical relationship to new heights,” he said.
Upon arrival in the Brunei capital of Bandar Seri Begawan, Modi was given a ceremonial welcome and received by Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, who is also a senior minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Modi inaugurated the new building for the Indian high commission by lighting a lamp and unveiling a plaque. The building’s design pays homage to India’s cultural heritage, integrating traditional motifs and using Kota stones.
He also interacted with Indian community members who were present at the inauguration and appreciated their contribution as a “living bridge” between the two countries.
Indians began arriving in Brunei with the discovery of oil in the 1920s. Brunei currently has an Indian diaspora of 14,000, and the contributions of Indian doctors and teachers to the development of healthcare and education is widely acknowledged.
On Wednesday, Modi will hold talks with Hassanal Bolkiah, the sultan and prime minister of Brunei, that are expected to focus on cooperation in areas such as space and energy.
Brunei has a special place in New Delhi’s space programme. The two sides have signed three MoUs in this field and in 2000, India established a telemetry tracking and command station in Brunei that allows it to track and monitor all eastward launches of satellites and rockets. Officials said the discussions in Brunei will focus on enhancing cooperation in the space sector.
From Brunei, Modi will travel to Singapore late on September 4. India and Singapore are set to unveil about half a dozen agreements during the visit, including one on cooperation in creating a semiconductor ecosystem. Modi’s visit will build on a meeting last month of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, which identified advanced manufacturing and connectivity as new areas for collaboration.
Modi said in the statement he looks forward to meeting President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, senior minister Lee Hsien Loong and emeritus senior minister Goh Chok Tong. “I will also meet with leaders of the Singapore’s vibrant business community,” he said.
“I look forward to my discussions to deepen our Strategic Partnership with Singapore, particularly in new and emerging areas of advanced manufacturing, digitalisation, and sustainable development,” he added.
Singapore is currently India’s largest trade partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the sixth largest trade partner worldwide. Besides, Singapore was the largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) into India in 2023, and its cumulative investments since 2000 are worth $160 billion.
Modi was originally scheduled to visit Singapore after travelling to Thailand to attend a summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec). After Thailand put off the summit, Brunei was added to his itinerary.