Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met Singapore leaders and conveyed his condolences while underlining the importance of taking forward the initiatives in India inspired by late Lee Kuan Yew.
Mr. Modi, who arrived in Singapore on Sunday morning to attend the State Funeral Services of Lee who died at the age of 91, met Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
“Apart from conveying condolences, they discussed the prospects that in tune with the vision of late Lee India and Singapore can work together further,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syen Akbaruddin told reporters.
“Prime Minster Modi said two of his own projects, namely the public housing and Swatch Bharat projects, were inspired by Lee Kuan Yew’s own efforts in Singapore,” Mr. Akbaruddin said, adding that PM wished that India and Singapore can cooperate on these projects.
Modi meets Israeli president
Mr. Modi also met Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and discussed the bilateral relations and the ways to take it forward.
Mr. Modi had a short meeting with Mr. Rivlin who reiterated an invitation to the Prime Minister to visit Israel.
There is an invitation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Mr. Modi to visit Israel.
But the exact dates and formality on this regard will be decided through diplomatic channels, said Mr. Akbaruddin.
The two leaders discussed the healthy state of bilateral relation and how to take it forward, he told reporters.
Mr. Modi had congratulated his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on his re-election recently.
“Congratulations my friend Bibi @netanyahu! Recall our New York meeting last September warmly,” Mr. Modi had tweeted in Hebrew language.
Mr. Netanyahu secured a stunning win against all odds in Israel’s closely-fought general elections.
