RAKSHA MANTRI VISITS THAILAND AND SINGAPORE

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh visited Bangkok this week to attend the ‘6th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus’ (ADMM Plus) and the opening ceremony of ‘Defence and Security 2019 Exhibition’. Speaking at ADMM Plus, he exhorted the members to eliminate terrorist safe havens, disrupt their networks/ financing and thwart their cross-border movement to ensure sustainable regional security. At the opening ceremony of ‘Defence and Security 2019 Exhibition’, he reaffirmed Indian Government’s commitment to achieve US$ 26 billion defence industry by 2025 and called upon defence manufacturers to join the ‘Make in India’ campaign. During the visit, he also held meetings with the US Secretary of Defence, Dy PM of Thailand, Defence Ministers of Japan, Australia and New and reviewed the bilateral defence relations with the respective leader.

During his visit to Singapore, Shri Rajnath Singh co-chaired the 4th Singapore-India Defence Ministers’ Dialogue with Defence Minister of Singapore. Both Ministers expressed satisfaction at the deepening defence ties between India and Singapore and reaffirmed their commitment to support further initiatives to promote stability to the region. Defence Minister of Singapore appreciated India’s continued support for training of Singapore Armed Forces in India. A MoU was also signed to facilitate the use of Chandipur Integrated Test Range by the Singapore defence establishment. Raksha Mantri also offered setting up of a Joint Test Facilities under the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme of India.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh addressed the 11th Maitree Diwas Celebrations in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh this week and said that government was planning to set up North East Industrial Corridor that would create job opportunities for the people of the region and act as a land bridge between India and South East Asia. He added that approval to construct a tunnel at Sela Pass to Tawang, operationalisation of Pasighat Airport, setting up Hollongi Airport near Itanagar and work to establish three strategic Railway lines in the region are some of the decisions in that direction. Raksha Mantri urged the youth of the State to actively join the Armed Forces. The two-day socio-military cultural extravaganza is jointly organised by the Indian Army, Tawang Civil Administration and volunteers.