PM Modi met Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah at his residence 'Istana Nurul Iman', a palace which spans 2 million square feet, has 1,700 rooms, is the world's largest, has a 22-carat gold dome and many other elements which scream extravagance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on Wednesday in Brunei and then left for Singapore, where he will meet President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.
PM Modi said in a post on X that their talks were wide ranging and included ways to further cement bilateral ties between the nations. "We are going to further expand trade ties, commercial linkages and people-to-people exchanges," PM Modi said.
PM Modi on Tuesday reached Brunei on the first leg of his two-nation trip meant to strengthen cooperation in sectors like defence, trade and investment, energy as well as people-to-people exchanges.
Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to travel to Brunei on a bilateral visit, was received by Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah at the airport.
A joint statement after the bilateral talks said India and Brunei commit to respecting freedom of navigation and overflight consistent with international law.
ISRO’s telemetry tracking station hosted by Brunei has contributed towards India’s efforts in space sector, the joint statement added.
PM Modi met Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah at his residence 'Istana Nurul Iman', a palace which spans 2 million square feet, has 1,700 rooms, is the world's largest, has a 22-carat gold dome and many other elements which scream extravagance.
Even though Brunei is smaller than some Indian states like Sikkim and Tripura, its Sultan's wealth and extravagant lifestyle keeps grabbing attention. Hassanal Bolkiah is said to be the second-longest reigning monarch in the world after the UK's Queen Elizabeth II and reportedly has a net worth of $30 billion.
Brunei, which is rick in oil and natural gas reserves, is strategically located at the heart of South East Asia and along the East-West maritime trade route. Brunei has easy connectivity to the growing economies within the region and is an ideal location for export-oriented activities.
Among Bolkiah's luxurious lifestyle and assets that grab attention are his private cars, the collection of which is valued at an estimated $5 billion, according to an indiatoday.in report. The collection includes a gold-coated Rolls Royce, around 450 Ferraris and 380 Bentleys.
He is also the owner of rare automobiles like Lamborghini Urraco, and of one of the only seven Ferrari 456 GT Venice in the world along with a Porsche 959 which are parked in his 200 garages.
As per Istana Nurul Iman palace's website, the designer of its interior - Khuan Chew - also worked on the construction of Burj Al Arab in Dubai.
The Palace has a huge collection of paintings by world-known artists, including one of the paintings of Renoir, bought by the Sultan in 1980 for $70 million.
"As far as Brunei’s sultan is fond of luxury and splendor his palace is richly decorated with gold. The windows and the doors are decorated with tiles made of pure gold. The door handles are also made of gold. Covering all his dwelling with gold and marble is not a problem at all for the Sultan, who is one of the richest men in today’s world," the website reads.
PM Modi Tuesday visited Brunei's iconic Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque built by the father of the current Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. "Went to the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in Brunei," PM Modi said in a post on X.
The prime minister was received by Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Dato Ustaz Awang Badaruddin at the mosque, where he also watched a video depicting its history. Minister of Health Mohammad Isham was also present.
The mosque is named after Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei (father of the current Sultan, who also initiated its construction), and was completed in 1958.
A gathering of Indian community members was also present to greet the prime minister. Currently, approximately 14,000 Indians are residing in Brunei.
PM Modi also inaugurated the new chancery premises of the Indian High Commission in Brunei on Tuesday, terming it as indicative of stronger ties between the two countries.
In an address after meeting the Sultan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that the two countries have decided to focus on mutual cooperation in agriculture, industry, pharma and health as well as technology and cyber security.
"In the energy sector, we discussed the possibilities of long-term cooperation in LNG. To enhance cooperation in the defence sector, we took positive views on the possibilities of defence industry training and capacity building," PM Modi said.
"To strengthen our cooperation in the field of space, we have agreed on satellite development, remote sensing and training. Direct linkage will be started soon for connectivity between the two countries. Our people-to-people relationship is the essence of our partnership. I am happy that the Indian community is making a positive contribution to the economy and society of Brunei. Yesterday, the inauguration of the Indian Embassy has given the Indian community a permanent address...," PM Modi added.