Singapore and India Agree To Enhanced Defence Partnership

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen (right) meeting with Indian Defence Minister Arun Jaitley (left) at the Ministry of Defence this morning.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen is making an official visit to India to strengthen defence ties with India under the new political leadership headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was sworn in three months ago. Dr Ng met with his counterpart Indian Defence Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi, India today. Both Defence Ministers expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation in the field of defence and agreed that it would be an opportune time to step up the defence relationship between India and Singapore. This could be achieved under the ambit of an enhanced partnership between the two countries which will deepen our defence relationship and allow both sides to explore new areas of cooperation for mutual benefit. India and Singapore will commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2015.

Both Ministers also reaffirmed the warm and long-standing bilateral defence relations between the two countries and discussed defence cooperation at the bilateral and multilateral levels, including ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus and Shangri-La Dialogue. Also present at the meeting was Defence Secretary Radha Krishna Mathur. Minister Jaitley also hosted Dr Ng to a luncheon at which the Chairman Chief of Staff Committee and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, Chief of the Army Staff General Dalbir Singh and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Robin K Dhowan were present.

As part of his visit, Dr Ng had earlier met with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Dr Ng also laid a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti and inspected a Guard of Honour at the Ministry of Defence.

Singapore and India share warm and long-standing defence relations. Defence interactions between the two countries include high-level visits, policy dialogues, joint military training, courses, seminars and other professional exchanges. Bilateral defence engagements have deepened since the signing of the Defence Cooperation Agreement in 2003, as well as the Air Force and Army Bilateral Agreements in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen (left) meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj (right) this morning.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti this morning.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen inspecting a Guard of Honour at the Ministry of Defence this morning.

Dr Ng (second from left) at a luncheon, hosted by Mr Arun Jaitley (left), and attended Chairman Chief of Staff and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha (right), Chief of the Army Staff General Dalbir Singh (centre), and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Robin K Dhowan (second from right).