Defence cooperation key aspect of India-Singapore ties: Senior minister

Singapore's close defence ties with India enables the two countries to contribute towards the common goal of maintaining peace and security in the region, a senior minister here said today. Singapore is also well placed to play a role in India's "Act East" policy given its geostrategic location at the heart of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, senior minister of state in the ministries of foreign affairs and defence, said. He said India and Singapore have a strategic partnership built on deep bilateral economic, defence and cultural ties. "One of the key aspects of India-Singapore relations is our close defence cooperation," Maliki said. "Defence cooperation allows our countries to contribute towards our common goal of maintaining peace and security in our immediate and the broader region," said Maliki at the launch of the book "How India Sees the World - Kautilya to the 21st century" by former Indian foreign secretary Shyam Saran. There is much scope for even greater interactions between India and Singapore in existing areas of cooperation as well as new one such as the Innovation and Fintech, he said. He said there was a scope for Singapore to play a role in catalysing greater engagement between India and ASEAN. "As ASEAN Chair this year, Singapore is committed to deepening region's relations with its key parnters including India," assured Maliki. As a civil aviation, trading and financial hub, Singapore is a good base for Indian companies to work from in order to expand to South East Asia and beyond. Singapore can also play a role to connect the many companies from a wide range of countries who have found Singapore to be a useful operational base, added Maliki. India's Act East Policy focusses on the extended neighbourhood in the Asia-Pacific region.

The policy which was originally conceived as an economic initiative, has gained political, strategic and cultural dimensions including establishment of institutional mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation. Saran served as the foreign secretary from July 2004 to September 2006. Prior to his appointment as the foreign Secretary he served as India's ambassador to Myanmar, Indonesia and Nepal and as High Commissioner to Mauritius. Upon completion of his tenure as the foreign secretary, he was appointed prime ministers special envoy for Indo-US civil nuclear issues and later as special envoy and chief negotiator on climate change.

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