India, Singapore to widen co-op in defence tech and maritime security

India and Singapore on Thursday unveiled a roadmap to expand their comprehensive strategic partnership and decided to deepen defence technology cooperation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong.

Expanding defence and maritime security partnership figured high on the agenda of the Modi-Wong summit. Singapore, on Thursday, acknowledged with appreciation India's interest in the Malacca Straits patrol, one of India's long-standing demands to counterbalance Chinese presence in the region. India has been asking for patrols in Strait of Malacca along with Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia given it is a 'contiguous state' due to the Andaman Islands, as per MEA officials.

The two sides decided to deepen defence technology ties in emerging areas such as quantum computing, AI, automation and unmanned vessels. It was also decided to strengthen cooperation in Maritime Domain Awareness between respective Information Fusion Centres, including through International Liaison Officers.


Modi also called Singapore "a strong pillar of Act East Policy" as he lauded the strengthening cooperation between the two countries on artificial intelligence and semiconductors. Wong said in a world marked by uncertainty and turbulence, the partnership between India and Singapore becomes even more important.

Several pacts, spanning shipping, civil aviation, and emerging technologies, were signed. An agreement on digital asset innovation between RBI and the Monetary Authority of Singapore is one of them. The two nations inked new industry agreements to counter the impact of punitive US tariffs that have doubled levies on Indian imports to 50%. It was decided to strengthen cooperation under the bilateral Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.