Singapore- India relations
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
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Defence relations
Singapore to use Chandipur missile testing facility
Nov 21, 2019: The Times of India
The armed forces of Singapore, which use Indian military facilities for training of their mechanised forces, artillery and F-16 fighter jets, will soon begin to use the integrated test range for firing of missiles at Chandipur in Odisha as well.
The 4th India-Singapore dialogue, led by defence minister Rajnath Singh and his counterpart Dr NG Eng Hen in Singapore on Wednesday, agreed to explore bilateral cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence, geo-spatial data sharing and cyber-security. The two countries exchanged “a letter of intent to register their commitment” to ink a MoU to facilitate the use of the Chandipur test range, with Singh also offering the setting up of joint test facilities under the defence testing infrastructure scheme of India.
Under bilateral pacts inked over a decade ago, the Singapore military exercises its mechanised forces at Babina, artillery at the Deolali ranges and F-16s at the Kalaikunda airbase on a regular basis.
YEAR-WISE DEVELOPMENTS
2021
Submarine rescue pact
Rajat Pandit, January 21, 2021: The Times of India
India, Singapore to further step-up defence ties, ink submarine rescue pact
NEW DELHI: India and Singapore decided to further boost interaction between their armed forces as well as cooperation in military technologies and industries. The two countries have also inked an implementing agreement on submarine rescue support between their navies.
"India is fortunate to have a defence partner like Singapore. The interaction will benefit both countries on many bilateral issues that are being pursued to further strengthen our special relationship," said Rajnath Singh, after holding the fifth defence ministerial dialogue with his counterpart Ng Eng Hen through video-conferencing. The submarine rescue cooperation pact will involve India helping Singapore if one of its submarines gets disabled underwater. Apart from other capabilities, the Indian Navy in 2018 had inducted two deep submergence rescue vessels (DSRVs), which are capable of rescuing trapped sailors from a disabled submarine up to a depth of 650 meters.
The two ministers, while expressing satisfaction at the progress of ongoing bilateral defence cooperation despite limitations imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, discussed new areas of potential cooperation and articulated their vision in this direction, said officials.
Under bilateral pacts inked over a decade ago, Singapore already uses Indian military facilities for training of its mechanized forces at Babina, artillery at the Deolali ranges and F-16 fighter jets at the Kalaikunda airbase on a regular basis. Singapore may also use the integrated test range for firing of missiles at Chandipur in Odisha in the future.
Apart from regular naval exercises, India has also inked a naval pact with Singapore to access each other’s bases and reciprocal logistics support for warships, as part of the overall policy to steadily build military ties with Asean countries with an eye firmly on China.
India has often joined the other countries in the region to reiterate the need for all to respect freedom of navigation and trade in international waters in the backdrop of China’s aggressive and expansionist behavior in the Asia Pacific region.
A joint statement issued on Wednesday said, "Both ministers were committed to further enhance bilateral defence ties between India and Singapore, and supported multilateral initiatives to promote lasting peace and stability in the region."
Singh, on his part, reaffirmed "Asean centrality" in the regional security architecture and pledged India’s support to all endeavours of the Asean defence ministers’ meeting ADMM-Plus.
Ng, in turn, expressed support for India’s upcoming co-chairmanship of the ADMM-Plus experts’ working group on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).
2024: semiconductor ecosystem partnership
Sachin Parashar, Sep 6, 2024: The Times of India
New Delhi : India and Singapore upgraded bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership as PM Narendra Modi held talks with his counterpart Lawrence Wong to boost cooperation in a range of areas from advanced manufacturing and digitalisation to skills and healthcare. Four MoUs were signed, including one for establishing a semiconductor ecosystem partnership that was hailed as a major takeaway from Modi’s first visit to the country in six years.
Amid growing concerns over Chinese assertiveness, the leaders also reaffirmed in a joint statement the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea (SCS). Agreeing that regional security and stability was essential for the growth of both nations, they called for pursuing peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS, without resorting to the threat or use of force.
Interestingly, and probably for the first time, an India-Singapore joint statement specifically mentioned not just SCS but also Quad as both nations welcomed Quad’s support for Asean centrality, including its agenda to support priorities and needs of countries in the Indo-Pacific region, and explored synergies for mutually beneficial cooperation. This follows the recent threat of a military conflict between China and the Philippines in SCS. A non-claimant country in SCS disputes, Singapore has traditionally avoided taking sides in the US-China rivalry in Southeast Asia, balancing its ties with Beijing with robust military and security cooperation with the US. Singapore’s remarks with India on SCS and Quad also followed a joint naval exercise with China this week that underscored its “longstanding and friendly” defence ties with Beijing.
India and Singapore are looking to enhance bilateral cooperation through advanced manufacturing, with focus on semiconductors. Modi and Wong also visited AEM, a leading Singapore company in semiconductor and electronics sector. “Both Prime Ministers agreed that advanced manufacturing, particularly in developing resilient semiconductor supply chains, can be a new pillar of bilateral cooperation,” said a joint statement. MoUs were signed for cooperation also in healthcare, skill development and digitisation, affirming common interests in AI and cyber security.
2025
New road map for comprehensive strategic partnership
Sep 5, 2025: The Times of India
New Delhi : India and Singapore announced a new road map for their comprehensive strategic partnership aimed at advancing cooperation in a range of areas like economic cooperation, skill development, digitalisation, connectivity, sustainability, healthcare, peopleto-people contacts and defence and security, as PM Narendra Modi held talks with his visiting counterpart Lawrence Wong.
Announcing the road map, Modi said India’s ties with Singapore go far beyond diplomacy.
“This is a partnership with purpose, rooted in shared values, guided by mutual interests, and driven by a common vision for peace, progress and prosperity,” he said while thanking Singapore also for its support to India on the issue of cross-border terrorism and the Pahalgam attack.
He said both sides had charted a detailed road map for the future of the partnership. “Our cooperation will not remain confined to traditional areas. In keeping with the needs of changing times, advanced manufacturing, green shipping, skilling, civil nuclear energy, and urban water management will also emerge as focus points of our collaboration,” he said, adding that to further accelerate bilateral trade, a time-bound review will be undertaken of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, as well as the Free Trade Agreement with Asean. The two countries also signed five agreements in areas like space, digitalisation, civil aviation and space. They also agreed to explore civil nuclear cooperation.
The leaders backed the growth of India’s semiconductor industry and ecosystem, including through cooperation under the India-Singapore Semiconductor Policy Dialogue, facilitating partnerships with Singapore companies and advancing resilient semiconductor supply chains, said a joint statement. Modi said the Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership Agreement, concluded last year, had given a new impetus to research and development.
There was a lot of focus on expanding defence and security cooperation as the leaders backed continued exchanges, including regular meetings between the defence ministers, and continued military cooperation and exchanges through joint army, naval and air force exercises in various formats. They also agreed to deepen technology cooperation in emerging areas such as quantum computing, AI, automation and unmanned vessels.
According to the joint statement, Singapore acknowledged with appreciation India’s interest in the Malacca Straits Patrol, a maritime security initiative involving Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore.
“Singapore is a vital pillar of our Act East Policy. Together, we will continue to advance cooperation with Asean and carry forward our joint vision for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Modi, adding both countries share common concerns regarding terrorism and believe that it is the duty of all nations that value humanity to unite in the fight against this menace.
The joint statement reaffirmed strong commitment to combat terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, and reiterated zero-tolerance to terrorism. It said both countries will strengthen cooperation to fight against global and regional terrorism and terror organizations, including those proscribed by the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee and against terror financing, through bilateral mechanisms, FATF and other multilateral platforms.
