Commentary: Dr Singh always felt a special connection with Singapore

Dr Manmohan Singh - often referred to as the most academically qualified person to ever run a major nation - always felt a special connection with Singapore.

- Ravi Velloor

Perhaps because of its emphasis on pluralism and meritocracy - attributes that helped his own rise to national leadership.

More so because of the fulsome endorsement he received for his path-breaking economic reforms as finance minister.

"Singapore has consistently been bullish on India's reform process ever since it started and we appreciate this endorsement," the Cambridge- and Oxford-educated Dr Singh, a former trade economist with UN trade body Unctad and university professor, told me in June 2005.

That was a year after his appointment as prime minister, a surprise Congress party pick to lead India following the national election.

Dr Singh was referring to the economic liberalisation measures he released upon the socialist-leaning nation in 1991, acting under the instructions and political cover provided by then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, as they worked to fight off an economic crisis.

When he spoke to me, Dr Singh had just returned from the ceremonial welcome held for then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, as Mr Lee arrived in New Delhi to ink the 2005 Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (Ceca).

The most common adjective used for Dr Singh is "scholarly".

Nevertheless, the bookshelves of his spartan office were lined with fewer books than there had been when some of his predecessors with fewer academic accomplishments held the position.

Dr Singh was known to be remarkably self-effacing.

In Singapore, Ceca has become rather politicised; an accord recently framed by some quarters as having facilitated a surge of job-hungry Indians to Singapore.

In truth, it has been of considerable value to both sides.

Trade has boomed. From DBS Bank to Sembcorp, CapitaLand and Singapore Airlines, Singapore government-linked companies have made significant inroads into Asia's No. 3 economy since Mumbai - has also gained consistently from its Indian investments.