After a halt in Malaysia, PM Modi heads for Singapore

Changi [Singapore], May 31 (ANI): After a brief stopover in Kuala Lumpur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now headed for Singapore, where on Friday he will deliver a keynote address at annual security meet, Shangri-La Dialogue.
According to a press statement from Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Prime Minister Modi and his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, will attend a business event on innovation and entrepreneurship on Thursday.
"Prime Minister Modi's visit reflects the close relations between Singapore and India and will build on the India-Singapore Strategic Partnership signed in 2015," read a statement from the MFA.
India's Ministry of External Affairs also expressed optimism about Prime Minister Modi's three-day state visit to the city-state.
India's High Commissioner to Singapore, Jawed Ashraf said, "India has been actively engaged with Singapore in the Act East policy. Therefore, there is great deal of anticipation and expectations on what PM's vision is about the Indo-pacific region."
India has been intensely engaged as a part of Prime Minister's Act East policy in the region, he said.
Prime Minister's visit is scheduled at a very significant time as the region is in a flux, uncertainty, and transition, Ashraf added.
While in Singapore, the Prime Minister will have a business round-table conference with CEOs over dinner.
Prime Minister Modi earlier visited Jakarta, where he signed 15 MoUs with Indonesia in various fields.
During a brief halt in Kuala Lumpur, Prime Minister Modi met his newly-elected Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohammad.
The aim of the three nation visit is to enhance India's relations and engagements with the three maritime neighbours, which are a part of the ASEAN- a regional inter-governmental organisation. (ANI)