Odisha will be the main focus of the Singapore President’s visit to India.

Singapore will commemorate the 60th anniversary of its bilateral relations with India with a visit from President Tharman Shanmugaratnam from January 15 to 18. According to diplomatic sources, this visit is part of a year-long series of events and exchanges that celebrate the development of the relationship over the past six decades.

A unique aspect of the visit will be its focus on Odisha as a key Indian state of interest for Singapore. Mr. Shanmugaratnam is scheduled to visit Odisha on January 17 and 18 to express his government’s interest in establishing projects and collaborations there. During his stay, he will tour a vaccine manufacturing plant operated by Bharat Biotech and visit the World Skills Centre, which is supported by Singapore's Institute of Technical Education Services (ITEES).

While in Delhi on January 15 and 16, the President will confer the Honorary Citizen Award on Tarun Das, the former Director-General of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in recognition of his contributions to Singapore-India relations. He will also attend a think tank event and meet members of the Singaporean community based in India. Furthermore, Mr. Shanmugaratnam will meet President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will also engage with several ministers, including Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Health Minister J.P. Nadda, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. President Murmu is expected to host a state banquet for Mr. Shanmugaratnam on the evening of January 16. The Indian President is anticipated to visit Singapore later this year as part of the 60th-anniversary celebrations.

Singapore has traditionally collaborated with states such as Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. However, the current focus on Odisha and Assam marks a strategic reorientation to expand its partnerships in India, as noted by a diplomatic source. During Mr. Shanmugaratnam’s visit to Odisha, two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) will be signed. As one of India's largest trading partners, Singapore is looking to enhance its industrial cooperation in areas such as semiconductor devices, integrated circuits, industrial automation, and design engineering.

Both nations are also discussing airline services, with Singapore having fully utilized the number of allocated seats, while India has yet to use its share completely. Singapore is planning to establish training centers focused on semiconductor-related work. In addition to projects involving critical technologies and minerals, such as lithium batteries, Singapore plays a strategic role in the Southeast Asian region and has significant influence regarding the crisis in Myanmar, where rebels have seized territory from the military junta. Last year, Singapore ceased the sale of weapons through its territory, which impacted the junta. This issue continues to be important in the context of India-ASEAN relations, where Singapore is a key player.

Mr. Shanmugaratnam will be accompanied by several officials, including Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, the Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann, as well as Members of Parliament Lim Biow Chuan, Joan Pereira, and Wan Rizal. A business delegation will also join the President during this visit.