Singapore, May 30 (IANS) Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Saturday held bilateral discussions here with his Australian counterpart, Meghan Quinn.

During the meeting, on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, both sides reviewed the progress of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, discussed upcoming high-level engagements, and explored opportunities to further strengthen defence cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

“Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh held bilateral discussions with Defence Secretary Australia Ms Meghan Quinn. Both sides reviewed the progress of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, discussed forthcoming high-level engagements, and explored avenues to further strengthen Defence Cooperation in areas of mutual interest,” the Defence Ministry said in a post on X.

On Friday, Singh met Canada’s Senior Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence, Kelvin Brosseau, on the sidelines of the dialogue.

“Both sides discussed ways to strengthen India-Canada defence cooperation and explored opportunities for deeper collaboration across key domains, reflecting the growing convergence of strategic interests between the two nations,” the Ministry of Defence’s Directorate of Public Relations said in a post on X.

Singh also met Seychelles’ Chief of Defence Forces Major General Micheal Rosette and discussed ways to further strengthen defence cooperation and maritime security collaboration in the Indian Ocean Region, it said, adding: “…The interaction reaffirmed India’s commitment to advancing peace, security and stability with its trusted partners in the region”.

The Shangri-La Dialogue, being held in Singapore, features plenary debates led by government ministers and important opportunities for bilateral discussions among delegations.

Earlier on Friday, the Defence Secretary held a meeting with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Military Committee’s Chair, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, with discussions focused on enhancing strategic dialogue and evolving global security challenges, the Defence Ministry said, adding that the “interaction reaffirmed India’s commitment to constructive engagement with key multilateral defence organisations”.

Singh also met US Indo-Pacific Command Commander Admiral Samuel J Paparo, with discussions focused on strengthening military-to-military cooperation, enhancing collaboration in the Indo-Pacific and addressing emerging security challenges, “reaffirming the shared commitment towards deepening India-US strategic defence ties”, the directorate posted on X.

On the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, the Defence Secretary engaged with leading think tanks and academia on strengthening the Indo-Pacific security architecture, defence industrial collaboration and emerging technology partnerships.

“Addressing a distinguished gathering on ‘India’s Defence Diplomacy for a Stable, Secure and Inclusive Indo-Pacific’, he shared India’s vision for regional security and strategic engagement. High Commissioner of India to Singapore Dr Shilpak Ambule also joined the interaction,” the Directorate of Public Relations posted on X.

On Thursday, Singh visited the Digital Operations Technology Centre (DOTC) of the Digital and Intelligence Service of the Singapore Armed Forces. The Ministry of Defence stated that the visit provided valuable insights into Singapore’s advanced digital and technical capabilities and explored avenues for collaboration with the Indian Armed Forces in niche and emerging domains of warfare.

Singh also co-chaired the 16th Defence Policy Dialogue with his Singaporean counterpart Joseph Leong.

“Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh co-chaired the 16th Defence Policy Dialogue with Permanent Secretary (Defence), Singapore Mr Joseph Leong. The dialogue reaffirmed the robust bilateral defence partnership between the two nations. Wide-ranging discussions were held on key areas of defence cooperation, security collaboration and avenues to further strengthen the strategic relationship between India-Singapore,” the Ministry of Defence said.

–IANS

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