New Delhi, (IANS) India and Singapore Tuesday inked a long-term pact for conducting joint training and exercises between their air forces, an indication of their burgeoning defence ties which will also bolster New Delhi’s Look East policy.
Indian Defence Secretary Vijay Singh and Singaporean Permanent Secretary of Defence Chiang Chie Foo signed the agreement at the two-day fourth India-Singapore Defence Policy Dialogue that began here Tuesday.
“During the dialogue, both sides gave an update on India-Singapore defence relations and expressed the need to further intensify cooperation,” a defence ministry release said.
“Sub-groups reported on the progress made in various fields, including R&D. Regional security aspects, both from Indian and Singaporean perspectives, were also discussed,” the release added.
Tuesday’s pact is a forerunner to a five-year defence cooperation agreement between the two countries to permit Singapore to permanently station some of its assets in India and enable its army and air force to exercise regularly in this country.
India’s cabinet committee on security (CCS) has already cleared the agreement, which is likely to be signed when Singaporean Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean visits India next week.
Teo is also scheduled to meet Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Indian Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta, who heads the chiefs of staff committee, and Defence Secretary Singh.
Singapore’s armed forces have been regularly conducting joint drills since 2003 under a defence cooperation pact with India. The new agreement will serve to institutionalise the exercises.
Singapore has similar agreements with other countries like Australia, France, Taiwan, Thailand and the US.
India is also a regular participant in the Shangri La Dialogue regional security grouping that Singapore hosts.