PM Modi's Brunei, Singapore Visits: A Shot In The Arm For India's Ties With ASEAN - News18
News 18Prime Minster Narendra Modi’s visits to Brunei and Singapore from September 3 to 5 within 100 days of assuming office in his third term, was a demonstration of the importance that he attaches to relations with ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific. The Brunei Visit Modi’s visit to Brunei was the first-ever bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister to Brunei since it became independent on January 1, 1984, and established diplomatic relations with India in May 1984. Conclusion Modi’s bilateral visit to Brunei marked the 40th anniversary of establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations as well as 40 years of Brunei’s independence. This was evident when Modi held separate meetings not only with PM Wong and President Shanmugaratnam but also with the two former PMs of Singapore — Lee Hsien Loong and Goh Chok Tong — who continue to hold influential positions in Wong’s cabinet.