Rajnath Singh meets Singapore counterpart Chan Chun Sing, discusses expanding bilateral defence ties

Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], November 1 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday met Singapore's Minister for Defence, Chan Chun Sing, in Kuala Lumpur, where they discussed expanding India-Singapore defence cooperation.

The meeting came on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus), where Singh addressed the forum on 'Reflection on 15 years of ADMM-Plus and Charting the Way Forward'.

"It was wonderful to exchange views with Singapore's Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing in Kuala Lumpur. We discussed expanding India-Singapore defence partnership. India is strongly committed to further strengthen our bilateral defence cooperation," the Defence Minister said in a post on X.

Prior to his address at the forum, Rajnath Singh held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from New Zealand, South Korea, and Vietnam, underscoring India's commitment to strengthening defence partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region.

Singh made the announcement of his engagements in a series of posts on X, where he extended an invitation for New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins to visit India and reaffirmed their shared vision to build a forward-looking partnership in defence.

"Glad to meet New Zealand's Defence Minister Judith Collins in Kuala Lumpur. I extended her the invitation to visit India. Her visit will reaffirm the shared vision of India and New Zealand to build a forward-looking partnership in defence," the Defence Minister said in his post.

Singh also met South Korea's Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back, describing it as a "delight to meet" him on the sidelines of the ADMM-Plus.

"It was a delight to meet South Korea's Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back on the sidelines of ADMM-Plus in Kuala Lumpur," he stated in a separate post.

Singh further shared that he was "happy to have met Defence Minister Phan Van Giang" of Vietnam in Kuala Lumpur, reflecting the growing defence ties between India and Vietnam, two key partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

Earlier on Friday, Singh met with the Defence Ministers of ASEAN during the second India-ASEAN Defence Ministers' Informal Meeting.

During the meeting, the Ministers appreciated India's key role in peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and sought to deepen defence cooperation with New Delhi at the regional level.

In his address, the Defence Minister highlighted that the second India-ASEAN Defence Ministers' Informal Meeting represents a strategic opportunity to advance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of India with ASEAN, particularly the defence and security components of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action for 2026-2030.

He announced two forward-looking initiatives, namely the ASEAN-India Initiative on Women in UN Peacekeeping Operations and the ASEAN-India Defence Think-Tank Interaction.

The Malaysian Defence Minister, as ADMM chair, welcomed Singh and described India as a superpower, stating that ASEAN, as a community, will benefit from deepening its engagement with India in the realms of cyber and digital defence, as well as defence industry and innovation. He complimented India's ability to set up a self-reliant defence industry and technological research ecosystem, which can benefit the ASEAN member states.

The Defence Minister of the Philippines praised India's respect for international law and multilateralism as a superpower.

Echoing similar sentiments, the Cambodian Defence Minister complimented the rise of India and expressed gratitude for its contributions in training in UN Peacekeeping Operations, HMA and Military Medicine.

Reiterating the sentiments expressed by the Defence Ministers of the Philippines and Cambodia, the Defence Minister of Singapore emphasised that ASEAN has faith in India's capacity and capability in playing a key role in ensuring peace and security in the region.

The Defence Minister of Thailand agreed that the ASEAN community will benefit from India's defence industry and technology ecosystem and called for 'Regional self-reliance' in production. (ANI)

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