How two public intellectuals view Indian PM Modi's visit to Singapore

We summarise their commentaries for you.

Martino Tan| November 24, 06:54 PM

Which subsequently resulted in a reply from PM Lee past midnight. (Do these guys sleep?)

Before we digress, it must be a big thing for the Prime Minister of the largest democracy to visit Singapore for two days (Nov 23 - Nov 24).

Just check out how busy his time-table in Singapore is from the press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

So what does the visit by Indian PM Narendra Modi mean for Singapore and Singaporeans, beyond the public lectures, wefies, and meetings with the President and PM?

Here are two public intellectuals making sense of the visit for you:

Exhibit One:

"India's trysts with destiny", The Straits Times by Diplomat and Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh

1. "Tryst with destiny":  India's founding PM Jawaharlal Nehru declared that India had a "tryst with destiny" when it gained independence. But India did not achieve great economic progress under Nehru.

2. Third tryst lucky? Koh asked whether Modi will be able to rekindle the hopes of the 1990s and launch India along a trajectory of sustained high growth for the next decade. Koh also wondered whether Modi will succeed in transforming India into a country which is easy to do business in

3. Singapore's confidence in Modi is based on three factors: i) His close to 13 year old track record as the chief minister of Gujarat in terms of tax reductions, infrastructure investment and the reduction of poverty; ii) His personal record of integrity and his demand for good governance; and iii) his focus, discipline and ambition for India.

4. Basically a bromance note to Modi, with concluding statements like "we need an inspiring leader like Prime Minister Modi", "this was remarkable coming from a person who has often been described as a Hindu fundamentalist" and "Singaporeans of all races extend a warm welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi".

Exhibit Two:

"Will PM see Singapore's True Colours?", Ahmedabad Mirror by media academic Cherian George

1. A Singaporean attraction that Cherian wish will make it into Modi's travel scrapbook: Singapore's religious and ethnic diversity. Cherian hopes Modi can look at how Singapore has dealt with the deep pulls of blood and belief.

2. Singapore's religious and ethnic diversity after 50 years: The result is a brand of secularism that treats all religions with respect, but keeps them at arm's length from the state. More importantly, Singapore's polity is not a system of blind neutrality - there are accommodations and compromises made to maintain religious harmony.

3. India's legacy to Singapore: Singapore owes a debt to Modi's predecessors, the founding fathers of the Indian republic. For instance, non-discrimination in Singapore was largely inspired by leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi.

4. Less of a love note to Modi, with hard-hitting remarks like "the gnawing sense that it may be a while before India exercises that same kind of moral leadership again"; "it cannot, as long as its current government wishes to translate its mandate into majoritarian muscle, with no patience for protecting minorities" and "his (Modi) brand of identity politics, if wielded by a Singaporean politician, would not have been tolerated by his hosts".

Top photo from Lee Hsien Loong Facebook. 

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