SINGAPORE: President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will make a state visit to India, commemorating the 60th anniversary of established diplomatic relations between the two countries.

His five-day visit, which begins on Jan 14, comes at the invitation of Indian President Droupadi Murmu, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a press statement on Monday (Jan 13). 

Mr Tharman will visit New Delhi from Jan 15 to Jan 16, and Odisha from Jan 17 to Jan 18. 

In New Delhi, Mr Tharman will receive a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace, where he will be hosted to a state banquet by Mr Murmu. 

Mr Tharman will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other ministers before visiting the Raj Ghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. 

During his visit to the Indian capital, Mr Tharman will meet overseas Singaporeans in New Delhi at a reception to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Singapore-India diplomatic relations, as well as Singapore’s 60th year of independence.

He will also interact with a group of Indian thought leaders in a closed-door roundtable session.

Additionally, Mr Tharman will confer the Honorary Citizen Award on Mr Tarun Das, the former director general of the Confederation of Indian Industry.

After Mr Tharman's visit to New Delhi, he will visit Odisha, where he is expected to receive a call from the state's Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to be briefed on Odisha’s economic strategies and opportunities.

Mr Tharman will also attend an official dinner hosted by Mr Majhi.

In Odisha, Mr Tharman will visit the World Skills Centre, which was set up by Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education Education Services (ITEES) with funding from the Asian Development Bank and a vaccine manufacturing plant run by Bharat Biotech. 

Mr Tharman will be accompanied by his wife Mrs Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann, and Members of Parliament Lim Biow Chuan, Joan Pereira and Wan Rizal.

Officials from the President’s Office, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Trade and Industry, MFA and Enterprise Singapore will also accompany him on the trip.

A business delegation will also join the president in Odisha to explore collaboration in skills development and other areas of economic development, MFA said.