Singapore’s Defence Minister, Dr. Ng Eng Hen, has commenced a three-day visit to India, co-chairing the sixth India-Singapore Defence Ministers’ Dialogue alongside his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, in New Delhi.
The Summit began on Tuesday morning, with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh welcoming the Singapore delegation warmly. He noted that the strategic partnership the two countries share is a “testimony of increasing closeness between our countries.”
Singh said, “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.”
Dr. Ng Eng Hen said, “You reminded us that this is the 10th year since your Act East Policy. From Singapore’s perspective, India has always been part of the East. Whether you choose to act or look, we consider you part of the area.”
“When we started the Singapore armed forces, one of the countries that we asked early on to see whether they could help us was India.” Hen highlighted that such historical memoirs serve as important reminders and “reflects how we feel that India is very part of our area. We are delighted that our ten years of bilateral relations have been very much improved in defence and all-round strategic partnership,” he added.
Hen also extended his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his visit to Singapore earlier this year, calling it a productive meeting.
Ahead of the dialogue, the Ministry of Defence had announced the event, scheduled for October 22, 2024. The Ministry’s release noted that engagements between India and Singapore have expanded to include a wide range of initiatives, such as military exchanges, high-level visits, capacity building, training programs, cooperation in UN Peacekeeping, ship visits, and joint exercises.
The India-Singapore Defence Ministers’ Dialogue, established in 2016, is a pivotal platform for strengthening defence cooperation.
The fifth edition took place virtually in January 2021. During this latest meeting, both sides expressed confidence that the discussions would provide momentum for the broader spectrum of bilateral engagement and enhance regional security cooperation.
(ANI)