New Delhi [India], September 4 : India and Singapore are working on strengthening their defence cooperation, with both countries exploring possibilities for co-developing technologies together, Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (East) P Kumaran said on Thursday.
While adressing the special briefing on the official visit of Singapore PM Lawrence Wong to India, he said, "Defence cooperation is still a work in progress. As part of defence industry cooperation, we do talk about possibilities for co-development, co-production, developing technologies together, and possibly sharing the outputs of any such collaboration, but nothing specific yet."
Futher, the MEA secretary noted that there was also an "agreement to explore cooperation in the defence technology space."
During Singapore's PM Wong and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting in Delhi, the two leaders acknowledged defence cooperation as an important area of bilateral partnership. P Kumaran stated, "Defence cooperation was also acknowledged as an important area of bilateral partnership. It was agreed to further the momentum of exchanges and training cooperation as well as engagement between the two sides, including all three services. There was also agreement to explore cooperation in the defence technology space."
"It was agreed to further strengthen our cultural and people-to-people ties. The two prime ministers also discussed India's relations with ASEAN, and Singapore has always been an important partner in India's Act-East policy," he added.
In addition to defence cooperation, both countries are also working on reviewing the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA). P Kumaran said, "Singapore has agreed to help explain our position to the rest of the ASEAN partners in terms of the need to arrive at a reviewed arrangement that can result in a win-win situation for both sides."
India has expressed concerns over the growing trade deficit with ASEAN countries since the AITIGA was signed. P Kumaran added, "The broad grievance on our side is that the trade deficit has increased since the time the AITIGA was signed, and that we should try to tweak the arrangements in such a way that we come to a more balanced trade situation. There are a few suggestions made by the Department of Commerce..."
The Ministry also highlighted that this is a "significant visit as it coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Indian and Singapore," adding that "the visit was also special as it marked a year of PM Modi's successful visit to Singapore in 2024."
Both leaders "appreciated the sustained expansion in bilateral trade, which has grown from about USD 6.7 billion in 2004-05 to nearly USD 35 billion in 2024-25," the MEA secretary said. "They agreed that the two sides should work on the next review of the India-Singapore CECA and the ASEAN-India Trade and Goods Agreement. The Prime Ministers also appreciated the growing investment flows between India and Singapore and noted the potential to increase these further."
Upon his arrival in Delhi, PM Wong visited Rajghat and paid his respects to Mahatama Gandhi.
At the invitation of PM Modi, his counterpart Lawrence Wong is on an official visit to India from September 2-4. This is Prime Minister Wong's first visit to India in his capacity as Singapore's Prime Minister.
He is accompanied by his spouse, Mrs. Lawrence Wong, and a high-level delegation including Cabinet Ministers and Senior Officials.
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