India and Singapore Strengthen Defence Ties at Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi
New Delhi, October 22, 2024 – In a significant move to bolster defence relations, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and Singapore’s Minister of Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen co-chaired the sixth India-Singapore Defence Ministerial Dialogue today in New Delhi. This meeting, marked by a shared commitment to regional peace, stability, and security, comes as India celebrates a decade of its Act East policy, with Singapore playing a pivotal role in enhancing economic cooperation, cultural ties, and strategic connectivity.
Both Ministers expressed satisfaction with the trajectory of defence cooperation, noting the increasing frequency of engagements between the armed forces of the two nations in recent years. As 2025 commemorates 60 years of diplomatic relations, Singh and Ng agreed to further enhance their defence partnership and aim for new achievements. They also decided to extend the bilateral Joint Military Training Army agreement for an additional five years.
Recognizing their roles as natural partners, the Ministers concurred on the importance of co-development and co-production of defence equipment, planning to strengthen industry cooperation and explore collaborations in emerging fields such as automation and Artificial Intelligence. Additionally, discussions touched on advancing cooperation in critical areas like cybersecurity.
Shri Rajnath Singh expressed gratitude to Dr Ng Eng Hen for Singapore’s role as the country coordinator for India in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting – Plus from 2021 to 2024. Ng acknowledged India’s importance as a strategic voice for peace and stability in Asia. The two nations recently elevated their bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s visit to Singapore.
The dialogue commenced with a ceremonial welcome for the Singaporean Defence Minister, who also paid tribute to fallen heroes by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.
This dialogue underscores the commitment of both nations to further deepen their defence collaboration, paving the way for a stronger partnership in addressing regional and global security challenges.
