Pakistan and Singapore on Friday agreed to deepen cooperation across trade and investment, education, technology, culture, people-to-people contacts, and disaster management. The agreement came during a restricted meeting and delegation-level talks in Islamabad between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Singapore’s Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, who arrived on an official visit earlier in the day. Dar said the visit is the first by a Singaporean foreign minister to Pakistan in more than two decades, and that Pakistan was among the first countries to recognise Singapore’s independence in 1965. The two sides said they are marking 60 years of diplomatic relations and agreed to hold regular political consultations and to promote high-level exchanges.
The deputy prime minister said that beyond trade and investment, the talks covered expanding cooperation in education, research, digital technologies, and artificial intelligence (AI), along with human resource development, agriculture, and climate. Both sides discussed strengthening links between universities and research institutions and encouraging cultural, academic, youth, and people-to-people exchanges, along with the possible resumption of direct flights. Balakrishnan welcomed closer 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). No specific AI or technology projects were named in the report, so the digital cooperation remains at the level of intent.
On trade, Dar said both sides welcomed the growth in bilateral trade and agreed to encourage business-to-business engagement through chambers of commerce and business delegations. He said the reopening of the Pakistan Trade and Investment Office at the Pakistan High Commission in Singapore shows Pakistan’s resolve to promote stronger business ties. Balakrishnan said that, despite excellent diplomatic relations, trade volumes should be significantly higher and that economic figures should match the political ties. He stressed connecting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and business communities in South Asia and Southeast Asia, said governments must proactively facilitate business interactions, and named carbon credits and carbon markets as a promising area for joint work.
The two sides also exchanged a memorandum of understanding on disaster management between Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). The Singaporean foreign minister said Singapore would learn from Pakistan’s experience of managing large-scale natural disasters and extreme climate events, and pointed to collaboration on early warning systems, sharing of best practices, search and rescue capabilities, and joint training exercises. Dar wished Singapore success for its 2027 chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the talks also covered regional and global issues, including maritime trade routes and the Gulf. Balakrishnan commended Pakistan’s constructive role in current regional crises, saying that stable energy flows through the Gulf are vital for East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
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