Jakarta/Sydney | Singapore is exploring "green lane" travel arrangements with other nations and preparing to reopen a large section of industry next week, after data on Tuesday showed its economy shrank in the first quarter.

Pharmaceutical exports were the bright spot in the first three months of the year, with the economy shrinking by 0.7 per cent compared with the same period last year and 4.7 per cent on the December quarter. Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has warned of a long and slow road out of the pandemic-induced recession.