Pakistan, Singapore pledge to deepen ties, boost trade and investment

Pakistan and Singapore on Friday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation in trade, investment, education, technology, climate change and disaster management as the two countries marked 60 years of diplomatic ties.

The commitment was reiterated during restricted and delegation-level talks between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Singaporean Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, who arrived in Pakistan earlier in the day on an official visit.

The two sides discussed ways to enhance economic engagement, strengthen institutional linkages, promote people-to-people contacts and coordinate on regional and international issues.

Addressing the delegation-level talks, Dar said the depth of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Singapore was not adequately reflected in their economic ties, stressing the need to unlock the considerable potential for bilateral trade and investment.

He said promoting economic diplomacy had been among his key priorities since assuming office as foreign minister, expressing confidence that closer coordination between the two governments, particularly in facilitating businesses and investors, could take economic relations to a new level.

Dar said both countries welcomed the growth in bilateral trade and agreed to encourage closer business-to-business engagement through chambers of commerce and business delegations.

He also highlighted the reopening of Pakistan’s Trade and Investment Office at the Pakistan High Commission in Singapore as evidence of Islamabad’s commitment to strengthening business-to-business ties.

On investment cooperation, Dar highlighted the role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), whose functions had been integrated into the Board of Investment (BOI) to provide investors with a streamlined, one-window facilitation mechanism.

He said the arrangement would enable potential investors to access investment opportunities, sectoral profiles and relevant information, adding that Pakistani institutions could work closely with their Singaporean counterparts to explore new avenues of investment.

The deputy prime minister appreciated Singapore’s contribution to capacity building in Pakistan, noting that nearly 1,500 Pakistani officials had benefited from its training facilities and programmes.

He also called for the early conclusion of cooperation arrangements between Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education and Pakistan’s National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) on skills development.

The two sides also discussed expanding cooperation in education, research, digital technologies and artificial intelligence, alongside human resource development, agriculture and climate-related areas.

Dar said both countries had agreed to strengthen institutional linkages between universities and research institutions and promote cultural, academic, youth and people-to-people exchanges.

They also discussed the potential resumption of direct flights to facilitate travel between the two countries.

On disaster management, the two countries exchanged a memorandum of understanding between Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Singapore’s Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

Dar said the agreement would provide a framework for enhanced cooperation in disaster management, while both sides could benefit from experience-sharing, capacity building and institutional collaboration.

Balakrishnan said Singapore would learn from Pakistan’s extensive experience in managing large-scale natural disasters and extreme climate events. He identified early warning systems, sharing of best practices, search and rescue capabilities and joint training exercises as areas for cooperation.

The Singaporean foreign minister also welcomed deeper institutional cooperation between Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and National University of Singapore (NUS) with Pakistan’s National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST).

On regional and multilateral matters, Dar highlighted Pakistan’s engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and wished Singapore success in its 2027 ASEAN chairmanship.

He also emphasised the importance of secure maritime trade routes, adherence to international law and dialogue to address regional and global challenges.

During the restricted meeting, the two sides discussed Palestine, Jammu and Kashmir and matters relating to the International Court of Justice.

On Palestine, Dar expressed concern over the continued expansion of illegal settlements and efforts to alter the status of the West Bank and Al-Aqsa Mosque. He reiterated Pakistan’s support for an independent, sovereign, viable and contiguous Palestinian state based on pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

On South Asia, he called for a just, durable and peaceful settlement of the long-standing Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Dar said Pakistan remained engaged with key regional and international partners to encourage continued dialogue and diplomacy, which he described as the only viable means of resolving outstanding challenges.

Balakrishnan, in his remarks, recalled that Pakistan was among the first countries to recognise Singapore’s independence in 1965, describing the historical connection as an important foundation of bilateral relations.

He said the two countries had substantial business to pursue and stressed that bilateral trade volumes should be significantly higher given the strength of their diplomatic relations.

The Singaporean foreign minister called for greater facilitation of trade and investment and stronger connections between small and medium-sized enterprises and business communities in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

He said governments needed to proactively facilitate business interactions and identify mutually beneficial ventures, identifying carbon credits and carbon markets as promising areas for joint cooperation.

Balakrishnan also commended Pakistan’s constructive role during current regional crises, particularly in the Gulf, noting that stable energy flows through the region were vital for East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

He welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s acceptance of Singapore’s invitation to visit, saying both countries now faced the challenge of delivering on their shared commitments.

Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Balakrishnan at the Prime Minister’s House and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening its longstanding and friendly relations with Singapore, particularly as the two countries commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.

The Prime Minister expressed admiration for Singapore’s remarkable economic transformation and achievements in innovation and development.

He underscored the importance Pakistan attaches to its partnership with Singapore, both bilaterally and multilaterally, including through ASEAN.

The two sides discussed enhancing bilateral trade and investment and expanding cooperation in priority areas, including the digital economy, financial technology, infrastructure development, logistics, small and medium-sized enterprises and the services sector.

They also explored new avenues for mutually beneficial economic cooperation and stronger people-to-people contacts, while exchanging views on regional and international developments.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued engagement and cooperation at bilateral and multilateral forums.

Dar said the two countries, having completed 60 years of diplomatic relations, were committed to deepening their partnership and building a more prosperous future for their peoples.