President extends greetings on Singapore's National Day

President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday extended greetings to the government and the people of Singapore on their National Day on August 9 and said there was a vast untapped potential in sectors like defence and infrastructure development between the two countries.

In a message to Singapore President Tony Tan Keng Yam, Mukherjee said: "On behalf of the government and the people of India and on my own behalf, it is with great pleasure that I extend warm greetings and felicitations to you and to the people of Singapore on your National Day."

The National Day of Singapore commemorates its independence from Malaysia in 1965.

The President said the bilateral relations between India and Singapore are marked by a long tradition of close cooperation.

"In recent years, our ties have strengthened and intensified to our mutual benefit. Both our governments desire the expansion of our relationship in all its aspects.

"While we have elevated our relationship to that of a strategic partnership last year and enhanced our economic cooperation, vast untapped potential still exists in many sectors -- particularly defence and security, infrastructure development and people-to-people contacts," Mukherjee said.

The President said he was confident that "both the governments will be successful in realising their common goals for the advancement of their people and the benefit of the entire region".

"I take this opportunity to convey my best wishes for the continued progress and prosperity of the friendly people of Singapore," he added.

--IANS

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