Singapore: Talks between PM Modi and Lee begins

Bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong has begun.

A number of Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) are expected to be signed during the joint presser.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Modi accorded ceremonial welcome at Istana, the official residence of the President of Singapore Halimah Yacob.

Prime Minister Modi landed in Singapore on Thursday, where he received a rousing welcome from the crowd, most of them Indian, as he reached Hotel Fullerton on arriving in Singapore.

After the joint presser, Prime Minister Lee will host an official lunch in honour of Prime Minister Modi.

Prime Minister Modi will next visit the Nanyang Technical University, which is ranked the best technological university and is considered a leading centre for research in Artificial Intelligence (AI). He will interact with the president and the board members of the university.

Following this, Prime Minister Modi will deliver the keynote address of the Shangri-La dialogue, which will be the first time an Indian Prime Minister will address the event.

Before Singapore, Prime Minister visited Indonesia and Malaysia in a bid to enhance India's relations and engagements with the three countries, who are members of the ASEAN.

In Indonesia, 15 MoUs between the two countries were signed and in Kuala Lumpur, he met with the newly appointed Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Bin Mohamad.

This is PM Modi's second official visit as the Prime Minister to the island nation.