• Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Singaporean counterpart seek stronger business links, investment and climate collaboration
• Dr Balakrishnan also meets Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir, discusses bilateral cooperation
ISLAMABAD: Singapore and Pakistan on Friday agreed to make the expansion of bilateral trade a priority, as the foreign minister of the Southeast Asian city-state, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, visited Islamabad for the first time in more than two decades.
The two countries also pledged to translate six decades of diplomatic ties into stronger commercial links and expand cooperation in trade, investment and climate-related initiatives.
Dr Balakrishnan’s visit came ahead of Singapore assuming the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) next year, offering Pakistan an opportunity to strengthen its engagement with the regional bloc through one of its longstanding partners.
Trade and economic cooperation figured prominently in discussions between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Dr Balakrishnan, with the latter describing the expansion of commercial links as the “first order of business” between the two countries.
“We need to facilitate greater trade and investment flows. We need to strengthen the links especially between SMEs [small and medium-sized enterprises], between businessmen and they need to meet, need to know each other [and] understand the business opportunities and the risks on both sides in Southeast Asia as well as South Asia,” he said at a joint press stakeout with Mr Dar.
He said governments needed to facilitate business interactions and identify new opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation, particularly in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
Mr Dar said economic cooperation had been central to their discussions, which also covered technology, education, research, innovation and people-to-people contacts.
“We welcomed the significant growth in bilateral trade and discussed ways to build on this progress,” he said, adding that both sides had agreed to encourage closer engagement between their business communities through exchanges of business delegations and stronger links between their chambers of commerce.
As part of efforts to promote business-to-business ties, Pakistan has reopened its Trade and Investment Office at the Pakistan High Commission in Singapore.
Mr Dar described the move as a testament to Islamabad’s resolve to strengthen commercial engagement.
The push comes against the backdrop of an uneven trading relationship. Singapore’s exports to Pakistan stood at around $1.7 billion in 2025, while Pakistan’s exports to Singapore were estimated at between $196 million and $278m, leaving Islamabad with a substantial trade deficit.
Mineral fuels and oils account for a significant share of trade in both directions, alongside machinery, electrical equipment, chemicals, plastics, apparel and pharmaceutical products.
The two countries do not have a free trade agreement, with earlier negotiations failing to produce a deal. The emphasis on SMEs, business delegations and closer links between chambers of commerce is intended to help expand commercial activity in the absence of an overarching trade pact.
In another area of potential cooperation, the two foreign ministers discussed carbon markets, which Singapore sees as an avenue for attracting investment into Pakistani projects that reduce emissions while supporting sustainable development.
The visit also produced an institutional agreement on disaster management. The two sides exchanged a memorandum of understanding between Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Singapore’s Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to strengthen cooperation in disaster preparedness and response.
The agreement is expected to facilitate cooperation in areas including early warning systems, search and rescue operations and joint training, strengthening the capacity of both sides to respond to emergencies.
Education and research were other areas discussed, with Dr Balakrishnan identifying opportunities for cooperation between Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University and National University of Singapore and Pakistan’s National University of Sciences and Technology.
Asean opportunities
Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore’s chairmanship of Asean and Pakistan’s leadership of the SCO could create opportunities for closer cooperation between the two countries and their respective regional groupings.
“Pakistan is already a sectoral dialogue partner. In fact, you’ve mentioned one of the earliest sectoral dialogue partners of Asean and we’re going to look for opportunities for Pakistan to do more with Asean and I think the horizon is very broad on that front,” he said.
Mr Dar said Islamabad looked forward to working with Singapore in support of its priorities and further strengthening Pakistan-Asean cooperation.
Meetings with PM, CDF
Dr Balakrishnan met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during which the premier expressed admiration for Singapore’s “remarkable economic transformation” and achievements in innovation and development.
PM Shehbaz and Dr Balakrishnan also discussed ways to enhance bilateral trade and investment and expand cooperation in the digital economy, fintech, infrastructure development, logistics, SMEs and the services sector, according to a PM Office statement.
The Singaporean foreign minister also called on Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, the army chief underscored Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening relations with Singapore and emphasised the importance of enhanced institutional links and constructive engagement in promoting regional peace, stability and security.
Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2026
