Ministerial-level delegation to lead Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore

NEW DELHI: For the first time in recent years, India is expected to field a ministerial-level delegation at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore from May 29 to 31, where the focus will be on key global security challenges such as the intensification of ISIS designs in West Asia and China’s maritime ambitions.

Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh is expected to lead the Indian delegation for the 2015 Asia Security Summit, which will be attended by, among others, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter, Japanese Minister of Defence Gen Nakatani and the defence ministers of Germany, Indonesia, South Korea and the UK.

Official sources indicated to ET that the government had earlier considered deputing External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with an eye on expanding its presence in the Asia-Pacific region and later decided to field Rao Inderjit Singh.