Singapore and India Reaffirm Strong and Long-standing Defence Relations at Defence Ministers’ Dialogue

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen (fourth from left) with Indian Minister of Defence Nirmala Sitharaman (third from right) at the third India-Singapore Defence Ministers' Dialogue in Vishakhapatnam, India.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen and Indian Minister of Defence Nirmala Sitharaman co-chaired the third India-Singapore Defence Ministers' Dialogue (DMD) in Visakhapatnam, India today.

During the DMD, both Ministers reaffirmed the strong and long-standing bilateral defence relationship and discussed ways to strengthen defence cooperation. They discussed regional security developments and reaffirmed the good progress made in cooperation across the Armies, Navies, and Air Forces.

The Joint Statement released by Dr Ng and Ms Sitharaman after the DMD reaffirmed both countries' commitment to enhance bilateral and multilateral defence cooperation. Dr Ng welcomed India's continued engagement of the region and its active role in the regional security architecture. Both Ministers also looked forward to the inaugural conduct of the India-Singapore-Thailand maritime exercise in the Andaman Sea in 2019.

Dr Ng emphasised the long history of defence cooperation between Singapore and India, citing Singapore and India's defence agreements, interactions, and exercises across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. He said, "Singapore is very supportive of India's vital security of the Indo-Pacific region and we share common security interests geographically that is the Strait of Malacca and the Andaman Sea which is really a continuous body of water that is a critical Sea Lines of Communication."

Following the DMD, Dr Ng and Ms Sitharaman witnessed the exchange of the renewed Army Bilateral Agreement. The renewed Bilateral Agreement will enable the Singapore Army's artillery and armour training in India, and facilitates increased interactions between both Armies. The renewal of the Army Bilateral Agreement, together with the existing Navy and Air Force Bilateral Agreements, is testament to the breadth and depth of military-to-military ties between both Armed Forces.

Dr Ng and Ms Sitharaman witnessing the exchange of the renewed Army Bilateral Agreement between Singapore's Commander 2nd People’s Defence Force/Island Defence Task Force, Brigadier-General Dinesh Vasu Dash (right) and India's Chief of Staff, Army Southern Command Lieutenant General Manoj Pande (left).

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Joint Statement by Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Defence of the Republic of India and Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Defence of the Republic of Singapore