NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Malaysia and Singapore on Thursday after a two-day visit to Indonesia as part of his Act East policy.
He met his newly-elected Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohammad in Kuala Lumpur and discussed bilateral relations between the two countries.
After his brief stopover in Kuala Lumpur, Prime Minister Modi reached Singapore, where he addressed the Indian community. “The Indian diaspora in Singapore represents the diversity of India,” he said, adding that a new India was taking shape.
“In many areas of India’s development priorities, Singapore is a key partner: smart cities, urban solutions, financial sector, skills development, ports, logistics, aviation and industrial parks,” the PM told the diaspora.
In a first for an Indian PM, Modi will deliver the keynote address at the Shangri La Dialogue, an annual security meet, on Friday. The dialogue is a platform to articulate regional security issues and the PM is likely to present India’s views on peace and security in the region as well as India’s role in the region. India hopes to sign agreements in the fields of defence, space and skills development during the visit, said officials.