Singapore, May 29. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Singapore’s Permanent Secretary (Defence) Joseph Leong co-chaired the 16th India-Singapore Defence Policy Dialogue in Singapore on May 28, reviewing the progress of bilateral military cooperation and exploring new areas of strategic collaboration.
During the dialogue, the two sides held extensive discussions on defence cooperation, military engagements, defence industry partnerships, capacity building and regional security developments. They also examined ways to further deepen the strategic partnership and expand cooperation in sectors of mutual interest, including collaboration between defence industries.
India and Singapore discussed enhancing cooperation in emerging and niche domains such as cyber security, artificial intelligence, maritime security, unmanned systems and advanced defence technologies. The discussions highlighted the importance of innovation-led partnerships and closer collaboration in advanced technologies to address evolving regional and global security challenges.
The two countries also appreciated continued coordination in regional and multilateral forums, including ASEAN-led mechanisms and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus framework. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to promoting an open, inclusive and rules-based regional security architecture in the Indo-Pacific while encouraging practical and constructive defence cooperation.
The dialogue underlined the significance of sustained high-level exchanges and stronger institutional engagement in advancing the India-Singapore strategic partnership. Both countries reiterated their resolve to further strengthen bilateral defence ties in the coming years.
On the sidelines of the visit, the Defence Secretary toured the Digital Operations Technology Centre of the Singapore Armed Forces’ Digital and Intelligence Service. The visit provided insights into Singapore’s digital and technical military capabilities and explored possibilities for future collaboration with Indian defence forces in emerging domains of warfare.
