New Delhi, Oct 28 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a “productive” bilateral meeting with his Singaporean counterpart on Wednesday, with the deliberations focusing on expanding the scope of joint military exercises to enhance operational synergy.
Both sides also discussed ongoing defence cooperation and explored new avenues to expand collaborations.
Singh reiterated India’s commitment to ASEAN centrality and a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, and acknowledged Singapore as a key pillar in India’s Act East Policy, the defence ministry said.
The talks between Singh and Singaporean Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing took place in Cebu, Philippines, on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus).
The two defence ministers expressed deep satisfaction with the “strong momentum” in bilateral defence relations, the ministry said.
The deliberations focussed on expanding the scope of joint military exercises across the Army, Navy and Air Force, aimed at enhancing operational synergy and mutual understanding, it said in a statement.
To further strengthen the defence industry and technology collaborations, Singh formally extended an invitation to his Singaporean counterpart to participate in the upcoming Aero India-2027 scheduled in Bengaluru in February.
Singh also congratulated the Singaporean defence minister on taking over the chair of ADMM-Plus for 2027.
“The meeting highlighted the deep-rooted, historical ties and strong strategic partnership between the two nations, providing an opportunity for both leaders to review the ongoing defence initiatives and chart out future areas of cooperation,” the ministry said.
(PTI News)
