India and Singapore held the 16th Defence Working Group (DWG) meeting in Singapore on September 4, reaffirming their commitment to deepen bilateral defence cooperation across multiple domains.
The meeting was co-chaired by Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) in India’s Ministry of Defence, and Colonel Daxson Yap, Director of the Policy Office in Singapore’s Ministry of Defence.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the discussions reviewed progress on decisions taken at the last Defence Ministers’ Dialogue and assessed the implementation of various initiatives under the India-Singapore defence partnership. The meeting also provided a platform to exchange views on regional security and expand cooperation in emerging areas.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the ongoing collaboration and explored ways to strengthen cooperation in training, capability development, defence industry and technology, maritime security, and multinational initiatives. The co-chairs also discussed issues related to the global commons and articulated steps towards new avenues of defence engagement.
The deliberations were guided by the Joint Statement on the Roadmap for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership issued after the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in New Delhi earlier this year.
Marking 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations in 2025, the meeting assumed added significance. Officials said the dialogue reflects the strong role Singapore continues to play in India’s Act East policy, which prioritises economic, cultural and strategic connectivity in the region.
On the sidelines of the DWG, Amitabh Prasad also met Deputy Secretary Policy BG Fredrick Choo and visited the Information Fusion Centre and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Cyber Security and Information Centre of Excellence at Changi Naval Base.