Singapore: Singaporean Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan has said that the country can deepen cooperation with India in various important sectors, including regional connectivity, cybersecurity, and the digital economy to give benefit to businesses and people through the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships (CSPs). He stated that the establishment of the ASEAN-India and the ASEAN-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships (CSPs) were sought by dialogue partners.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan stated that both Singapore and ASEAN will benefit economically from the CSPs. He made the statement in a written response to a parliamentary question on the expected economic impact and outcomes on Singapore after the United States and India upgraded ties with ASEAN to comprehensive strategic partnerships.

Balakrishnan stressed that the US and India's comprehensive strategic partnerships will build on their "longstanding and multi-faceted" ties with ASEAN to deliver more meaningful, substantive, and mutually beneficial cooperation.

He made the statement in response to Desmond Choo's question, "To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs with the United States and India upgrading ties with ASEAN to comprehensive strategic partnerships level (a) what is the expected economic impact for Singapore; and (b) what are the specific areas of deepened collaboration expected between Singapore and the two countries respectively."

Earlier this month, India-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) ties have been upgraded to a "Comprehensive strategic partnership," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press briefing on Vice President's visit to Cambodia. Meanwhile, US-ASEAN relations were also elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).

In a written response, Balakrishnan stated that Singapore welcomed both CSPs, particularly the contributions by India and US towards an open, inclusive, peaceful, stable, and prosperous region. Expressing his views on the ASEAN-India ties, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan emphasised that ASEAN will start reviewing the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) to make it "more user-friendly, simple, and trade-facilitative to facilitate stronger trade and investment flows."

"With India, ASEAN will commence reviewing the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) to make it more user-friendly, simple, and trade-facilitative to facilitate stronger trade and investment flows," Dr Vivian Balakrishnan stated in the written response.

"Through these CSPs, Singapore can deepen collaboration with India in important areas such as regional connectivity, cybersecurity, and the digital economy to benefit our businesses and people," he added.

Furthermore, Singaporean Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said that with the US, ASEAN will benefit from new initiatives, including the ASEAN-US electric vehicle infrastructure initiative. He stressed that ASEAN and the US will cooperate in the ASEAN smart cities network and strengthen ASEAN's public health infrastructure. He expressed hope that Singapore and US can work together to support ASEAN's clean energy transition and strengthen the region's energy security as well as grid resilience.

"With the US, ASEAN will benefit from new initiatives, such as the ASEAN-US Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Initiative and the ASEAN-US Platform for Infrastructure and Connectivity. ASEAN and the US will further cooperation in the ASEAN Smart Cities Network and strengthen ASEAN's public health infrastructure through the ASEAN-US Health Futures Initiative," Dr Vivian Balakrishnan stated in the written response.