India and Singapore review defence ties on the sidelines of ADMM-Plus

Key points

• Both nations discuss ongoing defence cooperation & explore new avenues to expand collaboration
• India is committed to ASEAN centrality and a free, open & inclusive Indo-Pacific; Singapore a key pillar in our Act East Policy: Shri Rajnath Singh

On the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus in Cebu, Philippines, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held a productive bilateral meeting with the Minister for Defence of Singapore Mr Chan Chun Sing on October 28, 2026. The meeting highlighted the deep-rooted, historical ties and strong strategic partnership between the two nations, providing an opportunity for both leaders to review ongoing defence initiatives and chart out future areas of cooperation.

The two Ministers expressed deep satisfaction with the strong momentum in bilateral defence relations. The deliberations focused on expanding the scope of joint military exercises across the Army, Navy, and Air Force, aimed at enhancing operational synergy and mutual understanding.

Raksha Mantri reiterated India's commitment to ASEAN centrality and a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. He acknowledged Singapore as a key pillar in India's Act East Policy.

To further strengthen the defence industry and technology collaboration, Shri Rajnath Singh formally extended an invitation to Mr Chan Chun Sing to participate in the upcoming Aero India 2027 scheduled to take place in Bengaluru in February. Raksha Mantri also congratulated the Singaporean Defence Minister on taking over  the chair of ADMM-Plus for 2027, and conveyed best wishes.

*****

SR/Savvy

---

This report is based on the official release by the Ministry of Defence, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (28 OCT 2026 8:23PM by PIB Delhi). Read the original: Raksha Mantri holds bilateral talks with Defence Minister of Singapore on the sidelines of 13th ADMM-Plus.