“Committed to enhancing defence cooperation”: Rajnath Singh after India-Singapore Defence Ministers’ Dialogue

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Singaporean counterpart Dr Ng Eng Hen on Tuesday, October 22, co-chaired the sixth India-Singapore Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in New Delhi. The meeting aims to carry forward defence cooperation between the two countries. Both sides will also exchange views on regional and global issues of shared interest.

“The meeting is happening at a time when India marks the decade of India’s Act in Policy, in which Singapore has played a key role in promoting economic cooperation, cultural ties, and developed strategic connectivity with country institutions,” Singh said, as quoted by ANI.

“We committed to further enhancing defence cooperation and exchanged views on regional and global issues of shared interest,” Singh tweeted after the meeting

Dr. Ng said India has always been part of the East from Singapore’s perspective. “Whether you choose to act or look, we consider you part of the area,” the Singaporean lawmaker said.

Calling Indian an important partner, he said when Singapore started its armed forces, one of the countries that the city-state asked for help was India. The minister said such events serve as important reminders and reflects how Singapore feels about India. “We are delighted that our ten years of bilateral relations have been very much improved in defence and all-round strategic partnership,” he said.

It was great to see the Singaporean Defence Minister Dr. Ng Eng Hen in New Delhi. We discussed 🇮🇳 🇸🇬 bilateral defence partnership. We committed to further enhancing defence cooperation and exchanged views on regional and global issues of shared interest. @Ng_Eng_Hen pic.twitter.com/OTBuGirPKz

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 22, 2024

Dr Ng also thanked Indian Prime Minister Modi, who recently visited Singapore.

During Modi’s visit, India and Singapore also elevated their bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. As per the Press Information Bureau (PIB) India: “The bilateral defence relations form a significant pillar to this collaboration. The engagements have diversified to include wide-ranging contacts between the Services, military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, capacity building and training programmes, cooperation in UN Peacekeeping, ship visits and bilateral exercises.

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“Singapore is a key pillar of India’s Act East Policy, and an important partner of the Indo-Pacific vision. Defence and security partnership between the two countries is an important factor of stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” it added.

the India-Singapore Defence Ministers’ Dialogue, a key platform to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation between the two countries, was inaugurated in 2016. The fifth edition had taken place in January 2021 through virtual teleconference.