SINGAPORE, Apr 28 : Condolences were offered on Monday at the inaugural India-Singapore Futures Forum to the families of the 26 people killed by terrorists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
India’s High Commissioner to Singapore Dr Shilpak Ambule informed forum delegates of the “unfortunate and tragic” manner of the killings by terrorists last Tuesday.
“The manner of killing by identifying the religion (of the victims) was something unprecedented,” said the envoy.
Joining Ambule in condemning the attack, keynote speaker and Singapore Ambassador at Large Professor Tommy Koh said, “Singapore stands with India in fighting the scourge of terrorism.”
Last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said, “Singapore strongly condemns the terror attacks in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Apr 22, 2025, which have claimed many lives.”
In his keynote, Professor Koh highlighted the strength of Singapore-India bilateral relations. He also noted a messy transition globally, moving away from free trade and open economics and shifting towards protectionism and economic nationalism.
“Global cooperation is giving way to growing competition and distrust,” he said.
“In the face of such upheavals and challenges, we need like-minded and trusted friends such as India and Singapore. Together, we will seek shelter from the storms ahead and seek opportunities in the midst of adversity,” Prof Koh told the forum, pointing to the high level of comfort and mutual trust between the leaders of the two countries.
High Commissioner Ambule also spoke about the growing bilateral relations and the process of expanding cooperation into new areas including advanced technologies and manufacturing.
Meanwhile, forum speakers discussed and addressed opportunities and challenges in four critical areas between the two countries. They discussed artificial intelligence, semiconductors, fintech and space.
In 2024, India and Singapore signed a memorandum of understanding on Digital Technologies which provides a comprehensive blueprint for joint AI development, emphasising ethical governance, talent exchange and scalable solutions for global challenges.
“India’s vast data resources, technical talent pool and thriving startup ecosystem align seamlessly with Singapore’s strengths in governance frameworks, research infrastructure and global market connectivity,” said Prof Iqbal Singh Sevea, director of the Institute of South Asian Studies, a think-tank at the National University of Singapore which organised the inaugural forum. (PTI)
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