Joint army exercises next for S'pore, India
By Ravi Velloor
India Bureau Chief
In New Delhi
SINGAPORE and India will add joint army exercises and cooperation
in defence and homeland security technology to a growing list of
security-related contacts between the two countries.
The first joint army exercise would be held early next year in
India, Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan said, wrapping up three days
of talks with ministers for external affairs, defence, home,
education and science on his first visit to New Delhi in 20
years.
While he did not identify the venue for the exercises or specify
which arms of the force would take part, army exercises would
complete the tri-service contacts between the two militaries, which
include this week's joint air exercises in central India and a
decade of naval contacts.
Dr Tan, who is also coordinating minister for defence and security,
said naval cooperation could move from bilateral exercises to the
joint hosting of multilateral exercises. India had also expressed
interest in working with Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia to
enhance security in the Straits of Malacca and the Singapore
Straits.
'It's a welcome development. Singapore looks forward to working
with our Indian counterparts in this area,' he told reporters after
a meeting with Indian defence minister Pranab Mukherjee.
He said Malaysian Defence Minister Najib Razak shared his view that
countries with significant stakes in the key waterways, such as the
US and Japan, should also participate in ensuring their
security.
A new area of cooperation between Singapore and India was the
tentative agreement to jointly develop defence technologies as both
armed forces modernise.
One possibility discussed was a joint research and development
facility, possibly in electronics, where the work could be divided
between defence laboratories in Singapore and India. Singapore does
similar work with Sweden and France.
The two countries will also boost exchanges between intelligence
and security agencies and facilitate exchanges in homeland security
technology, such as the development of biometric passports.
Transnational terrorism figured repeatedly in the talks. India has
much experience in tackling terrorism and Dr Tan said he learnt
much from the Indian perspective.
The DPM's week-long visit, which will also include trips to
Hyderabad, Bangalore and Mumbai, underscores the growing contacts
between the two governments.
Describing India and Singapore as 'very good friends', Dr Tan said
the country appeared to have reached the take-off stage with its
thirst for capital and rising middle class.
'This is a very different India from the India we knew in the 80s,'
he said.
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