The Shangri-La Dialogue has ended, and Singapore hosts officials from around the world: the moment the dishes arrive, you know it's over!
On the afternoon of June 1, 2025, the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore fell silent. The security checkpoints at the entrance were dismantled, military contractors’ posters taken down, and workers wheeled away supplies on creaking trolleys. Three days of intensive talks and bilateral meetings had come to a close.
The Presidential Palace hosted a banquet for defense ministers from various countries. On the table there were no abalone, sea cucumber, bird’s nest, or silver goblets—instead, the main course was laksa, a humble street-side hawker dish beloved by common people. The host was Singapore’s ninth president, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, an Indian-origin leader whose laksa featured particularly rich curry sauce “to reflect the strong flavor of an Indian-origin president.”
The main course wasn’t Western steak nor a lavish Chinese banquet dish—it was a bowl of laksa. A large golden bowl brimming with a vibrant, thick curry broth, floating on top were prawns and eggs, while the broth itself held tender rice noodles.
Evidently, the rise of the Indian-origin population is irreversible, and Singapore’s national identity is quietly shifting from a historically Chinese-dominated framework toward a more diverse, even India-origin-influenced new paradigm.
According to the 2025 Singapore Census, the total population stands at approximately 6.11 million. Among citizens, ethnic Chinese make up 75.5%, Malays 15.1%, and Indians 7.6%. When including permanent residents, the Indian-origin share rises to about 9% to 10%.
In addition, Singapore hosts around 2 million foreign migrant workers, among whom Indians—including contract laborers, students, and professionals—account for a significant proportion. If we combine resident Indian-origin populations with the mobile Indian foreign workforce, the total number of Indians in Singapore exceeds 1.07 million, representing 17.5% of the country’s total population—equivalent to one in every six people being Indian.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867025584122892/
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