India, Singapore deplore terrorism, pledge joint fight

India and Singapore on Friday expressed commitment to cooperate in the fight against terrorism. The two countries reiterated their position during a meeting between Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.

"Both ministers strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms, and renewed their commitment to cooperate in counter-terrorism efforts," said a statement issued after the two ministers met to co-chair the inaugural Singapore-India Defence Ministers' Dialogue.

The two sides agreed on the need to evolve protocols and norms of behaviour in the air and maritime domains aimed at building confidence, defusing tensions and reducing the risks of miscalculations.

Ng thanked Parrikar for India's support for the Information Fusion Centre and the Changi Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre.

Parrikar also extended an invitation to Ng to visit India on mutually convenient dates to continue the bilateral ministerial dialogue.

"The invitation was accepted with pleasure," the statement read.

Parrikar was on a three-day visit to Singapore from June 3 to attend the 15th Shangri-La Dialogue.

Ng and Parrikar also commended the "long-standing defence ties between Singapore and India, and noted the DMD (Defence Ministers' Dialogue) would take the relationship to new heights".

Both Ministers welcomed the growth in the defence relationship since the signing of the Defence Cooperation Agreement in 2003 and the revised agreement in 2015.

Defence cooperation was identified as a key sector under the India-Singapore Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership signed during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Singapore in November 2015.

--IANS

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