New logistics-sharing pact likely with Singapore

Singapore, October 19 

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday held a series of bilateral meetings with her counterparts from ASEAN nations and US Defence Secretary James Mattis on the sidelines of ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meet here.

Sitharaman will also meet her Singapore counterpart Dr Ng Eng Hen. Sources said India and Singapore will extend their already comprehensive bilateral defence collaboration. A new agreement is likely to be signed for the Army-to-Army collaboration as well as bilateral hosting of logistics and furthering supports for exchange visits by of naval vessels of the two countries, the sources said. Both the countries conduct regular exercises involving armed forces, navies and air forces.

Defence Ministers from ASEAN countries and that of Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the US have gathered here for the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and the 5th ADMM-Plus, which is being hosted by Singapore. India and Singapore will also be celebrating 25 years of SINBEX, an annual exercise with a two-week naval exercise programme in the Bay of Bengal in the coming weeks. — PTI