FOREIGN POLICY

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was established in 1965 and by the following
year, it had set up six overseas missions. Today, it has a total of 40 overseas missions.

Singapore maintains diplomatic relations with 160 countries. There are 45
resident foreign embassies, 36 foreign consular posts, six international
organisations and two UN agencies in Singapore. In addition, 47 non-resident foreign ambassadors are accredited to Singapore. Singapore's resident missions
overseas include 26 full missions and 14 consulates. Singapore has appointed
24 Honorary Consuls abroad and 21 non-resident Ambassadors/High
Commissioners are based in Singapore.

Singapore's Foreign Policy

The fundamental principles of Singapore's foreign policy are to:

• Maintain a credible and deterent military defence as the fundamental
  underpinning for an effective foreign policy;
• Promote and work for good relations with our immediate neighbours in all
  spheres based on mutual respect and sovereignty. In this regard,
  Singapore is fully committed to the Association of Southeast Asian
  Nations (ASEAN);
• Play an active role in international organisations such as the United
  Nations (UN);
• Continue to work for the maintenance of a free and open multilateral
  trading system; and
• Trade with any state for mutual benefit and maintain an open market
  economy.

Singapore-India Relations

• Singapore and India have traditionally enjoyed warm and close relations
  due to historical and cultural ties. Relations have now flourished to cover
  a broad spectrum of political, economic, cultural, educational, human
  relations development and people-to-people exchanges.

• A concrete manifestation of our ties is the numerous contacts between
  our leaders, officials and business delegations. The official visit to
  Singapore by India's Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in April 2002 demonstrates the close and enduring ties between our two countries.
  As a result of the visit, both countries have established a Joint Study
  Group to look into establishing a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). Besides the liberalisation of trade in goods and
  services, both countries hope to consolidate and expand cooperation in
  areas such as life sciences, biotechnology, information technology and tourism.

• Economic cooperation between Singapore and India in the fields of
  trade and investment have expanded significantly in the past decade. Bilateral trade with India in 2001 grew by 3.2%, reaching nearly
  S$7 billion. This upswing trend is expected to continue in 2002.
  In 2001, Singapore companies invested about S$2 billion in India,
  making Singapore the 11th largest investor in India.

• Singapore and India have worked closely at various international fora
  such as United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, Commonwealth and
  the World Trade Organistation. At the regional level, the upgrading of
  India to a full dialogue partner of Association of South East Asian
  Nations (ASEAN) and the admission of India into the ASEAN Regional
  Forum in 1996 marked a new chapter in ASEAN-India relations. Since
  then, India has played a constructive role in its interactions with ASEAN.
  The inaugural ASEAN-India Summit held in Phnom Penh in
  November 2002 was an important milestone in ASEAN-India ties.
  Singapore believes that both Southeast Asia and India have much to
  gain from closer linkages.

• The foundation for a strong and fruitful partnership between Singapore
  and India is already in place and there is much potential to bring
  ties further forward. Both countries' relative strengths and
  complementarities offer enormous potential for further expansion of
  bilateral relations.