21.11.11

Singapore backs India's UNSC seat bid

Hailing India’s growing influence and stature, Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday pitched for its permanent membership in an expanded UN Security Council, saying New Delhi has much to contribute to the stability and progress of Asia. “As India continues to grow, so will its influence and stature,” Lee said at a luncheon hosted by him in honour of PM Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur. He said Singapore “looks forward to India playing a more active role in global affairs. We support India’s permanent membership in an expanded UN Security Council.” Observing that India has “much to contribute to the stability and progress of Asia”, Lee said, “India is an integral part of the regional architecture of Asia and is an important Asean dialogue partner”. He described the Singapore-India relationship as comprehensive, mutually beneficial and in excellent shape and expressed confidence that the partnership will continue to strengthen and grow in the years to come. Singh responded by saying that India places a high premium on bilateral relations and that it was the beginning of the partnership with Singapore that encouraged India to opening up economic ties.

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