India Singapore defence ties came up for review on Wednesday, when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Singapore's Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus in Cebu, Philippines.

The two Ministers reviewed ongoing defence initiatives and discussed new areas of cooperation, according to the Ministry of Defence.

Joint exercises across Army, Navy and Air Force set to widen

Both expressed deep satisfaction with the momentum in bilateral defence relations. Expanding joint military exercises across all three services was the main focus of the talks. The ministry said the aim is to improve operational synergy and mutual understanding between the two militaries.

That builds on a long training record. The two armies already train together in exercises such as Agni Warrior and Bold Kurukshetra, while the navies have run SIMBEX since the 1990s, making it one of the Indian Navy's longest-running bilateral exercises. Singapore's forces have also trained on Indian soil for years under bilateral agreements.

Rajnath Singh calls Singapore a key pillar of Act East Policy

Rajnath Singh reiterated India's commitment to ASEAN centrality and to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. He described Singapore as a key pillar of India's Act East Policy.

ASEAN centrality is the idea that ASEAN-led forums such as the ADMM-Plus stay at the centre of security talks in the region.

Chan Chun Sing invited to Aero India 2027

To push defence industry and technology cooperation further, Rajnath Singh formally invited Chan Chun Sing to Aero India 2027, due in Bengaluru in February. The 16th edition of the show runs from February 8 to 12 at Air Force Station Yelahanka.

Singapore takes over as ADMM-Plus chair for 2027

Rajnath Singh also congratulated his Singaporean counterpart on Singapore taking over the chair of the ADMM-Plus for 2027 and conveyed his best wishes. Under the forum's rules, the ADMM-Plus chair follows the ASEAN chair, and Singapore takes over from the Philippines, this year's host. The forum brings together the ten ASEAN defence ministers and eight partner countries, including India, and first met in Hanoi in 2010.

India Singapore defence ties rest on regular ministerial contact

The two Ministers last met on the sidelines of the ADMM meetings in Kuala Lumpur last year. Singapore's Ministry of Defence listed that meeting among Chan Chun Sing's bilateral engagements in the Malaysian capital.

India Singapore defence ties got a wider frame in September 2024, when relations were raised to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The Cebu talks came on a busy day for the Indian delegation. Rajnath Singh also met US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on the forum's sidelines, marking one year of the India-US ten year defence framework.

At sea, contact has continued as well. Earlier this month, the Indian Navy corvette INS Kulish called at Tuas Terminal in Singapore during the Eastern Fleet Operational Deployment, and its Commanding Officer laid a wreath at the Kranji War Memorial, where Indian soldiers of the Second World War are commemorated.