PM Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission through video conferencing last month. (File)
The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an "excellent example" of how digitalisation can help improve people's lives, said Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Wednesday.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the Indo-ASEAN Business Summit, Balakrishnan noted that there has been an acceleration of digitalisation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"India's Ayushman Bharat digital Health ID launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi just last week is an excellent example of how digitalisation can help improve people's lives," he said.
PM Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission through video conferencing last month.
Under the mission, every Indian will get a unique health ID that will also work as a health account to which personal health records can be linked.
The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will create interoperability within the digital health ecosystem, similar to the role played by the Unified Payments Interface in revolutionizing payments. Citizens will only be a click away from accessing healthcare facilities.
During the virtual session, Balakrishnan highlighted the recent surge in trade between ASEAN and India and said the regional bloc and India remain committed to enhancing ASEAN centrality and to "promote an open and inclusive regional architecture".
Balakrishnan stated that he is encouraged by the recent moves that strengthened the two-way trade and investment.
"We look forward to India's increased engagement with ASEAN under its Act East Policy and expanding innovative new areas of collaboration," he added.
The minister noted that in the recent past trade volume has significantly increased between India and Singapore.
"Since we established ASEAN and India free trade area in 2010, trade has almost doubled to USD 77 billion in 2019. Even in the phase of COVID-19, India and ASEAN have worked together to maintain supply chains and facilitate the flow of the essentials," he said.
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