SINGAPORE, INDIA TO ENHANCE DEFENCE PARTNERSHIP

"I am leaving India very reassured (by) this new leadership and very energised to see how indeed we can find concrete ways that we can deepen that bilateral relationship," said Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen during his official visit to New Delhi, India, on 19 Aug, when he met the new political leadership headed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He added: "Both India and Singapore feel that we can play a very positive role for regional stability whether it is in the region of South China Sea, Strait of Malacca or the Indian Ocean."

During the visit, Dr Ng met his counterpart Indian Defence Minister Arun Jaitley. Both were satisfied with the level of cooperation in the field of defence and agreed it would be a good time to step up defence relations between India and Singapore.

This could be achieved under the ambit of an enhanced partnership between the two countries, which will deepen the defence relationship and allow both sides to explore new areas of cooperation for mutual benefit.

Both ministers also reaffirmed their countries' warm and long-standing bilateral defence relations, and discussed defence cooperation at the bilateral and multilateral levels, including the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus and Shangri-La Dialogue. Also present at the meeting was Indian Defence Secretary Radha Krishna Mathur.

Mr Jaitley also hosted Dr Ng to a luncheon attended by senior officials such as 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.

As part of his visit, Dr Ng met Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Dr Ng also laid a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial and inspected a Guard of Honour parade at the Indian Ministry of Defence. India and Singapore will commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2015.

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.