Indian Navy ships conclude Singapore visit, enhance maritime ties
"As the Indian Naval Ships Delhi, Satpura Shakti and Kiltan led by RAdm Susheel Menon, VSM FOCEF conclude a highly successful Port Call at Singapore (July 16-19), covering professional exchanges with the RSN, interactions with the Academia and several community outreach activities, High Commission of India in Singapore wishes the Indian Navy contingent the very best for the deployment ahead," the Indian High Commission in Singapore posted on X.
The Indian delegation on Friday visited the Information Fusion Centre (IFC) in Singapore and engaged in discussions on real-time information sharing, collaborative maritime surveillance and multilateral coordination efforts undertaken at IFC to enhance collective maritime security and domain awareness across the Indo-Pacific.
In a major boost to India-Singapore maritime cooperation, four Indian Navy warships had arrived in Singapore on July 16 as part of the Eastern Fleet's operational deployment to South East Asia.
The port call was a part of a wider effort to enhance maritime partnerships in the Indo-Pacific and reaffirm India's strategic commitment to the ASEAN region.
Indian Navy and RSN share robust operational relations spanning over three decades of cooperation, coordination and collaboration with regular visits, exchange of best practices and reciprocal training arrangements.
The visit underscored the strategic alignment between the two countries, particularly in upholding freedom of navigation and a rules-based order in maritime zones. The deployment of the Eastern Fleet ships to Southeast Asia reflects India's 'Act East' policy in action, promoting security, stability, and dialogue across the Indo-Pacific.
Earlier this week, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar concluded a high-level official visit to Singapore, during which he held talks with the top leadership of the country on regional security, trade, and technological cooperation.
Jaishankar described the India-Singapore relationship as 'a model partnership,' rooted in mutual trust and shared Indo-Pacific interests. India and Singapore enjoy over three decades of robust naval cooperation, marked by joint exercises, reciprocal training programmes, and regular port calls.
With growing convergence in areas such as defence, cyber security, digital economy, and supply chain resilience, India and Singapore are poised to deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership.
As global geopolitics shifts, the synergy between India and Singapore continues to evolve as a cornerstone of regional peace and multilateral cooperation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
22 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
RSS chief meets Muslim clerics to foster dialogue with Hindus
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat and Kerala governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Sunday will preside over a session on 'Bharatiya and Kerala perspectives in education' aimed at 'formulating transformative strategies for nation-building through education' as part of four-day long national education conference in Kerala's Kochi organised by Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas (SSUN), an education-oriented wing of RSS. The conference titled 'Gyan Sabha' will start from Friday with a focus on the theme 'Education for a Developed India' and conclude on Monday. (PTI) The conference titled 'Gyan Sabha' will start from Friday with a focus on the theme 'Education for a Developed India' and conclude on Monday. Over 400 educationists will participate in the event, including state education ministers, vice-chancellors, academicians, and officials of central educational bodies like University Grants Commission (UGC), National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Indian Knowledge System (IKS). The main focus of the conference will be on Indianisation in the education system and implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. 'From July 25 to 26, around 100 national-level SSUN workers will hold internal brainstorming sessions. On July 27, about 200 educationists from Kerala will discuss ways to improve the state's education system. The same morning, a public function will be held with Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar presiding and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat as chief guest. The afternoon will feature two sessions on education policies. On July 28, discussions will focus on strategies to implement positive changes in the education system across different states and regions,' SSUN general secretary Atul Kothari told HT. According to the agenda of the event, there will be a session on July 27 titled 'Policy dialogue and leadership conclave' to discuss structural reforms needed in the education sector through a revamped curriculum. The speakers of the session include Pankaj Mittal, general secretary, Association of Indian Universities (AIU); TG Sitharam AICTE chairman and Ganti S. Murthy, IKS national co-ordinator. Another session on July 27 titled 'Bharatiya and Kerala perspectives in education' will see Bhagwat, Arlekar and Kothari discussing ways to formulate 'transformative strategies for nation-building through education,' 'UGC vice chairman Deepak Kumar Srivastava and NAAC chairman Anil Sahasrabudhe alongwith education ministers and senior officials of several states, will also participate in brainstorming sessions on how to bring positive changes in the education system. We believe that India's education system should include concepts from India's traditions and culture as suggested by IKS along with modern concepts,' Kothari said. This is the first time such an educational event by SSUN is being held in Kerala. 'We carry out our conferences across the country and this time we are holding the event in Kerala. There is no particular reason behind choosing the state for the event,' Kothari said. 'Recognizing that transforming India's vast education system cannot be achieved by a single institution or organization like ours, we aim to bring together institutions, organizations, and individuals working for educational reform on a common platform. Through collective brainstorming and exchange of ideas, the event seeks to build a shared strategy for coordinated action towards educational transformation,' he added.
NDTV
23 minutes ago
- NDTV
The Vice Presidents of India I Know
I still remember that muggy morning in Delhi fourteen years ago. For the first time ever in my life, I was meeting a person holding a high constitutional office. The then Vice President of India, Mr Hamid Ansari. It was my first day in Parliament. After being sworn in, he called some of us rookies for an informal chat over coffee. The conversation flowed. Noticing that it had been well over 15 minutes, he asked us to come home soon to continue our chat. We went over a few days later. Exciting. A person holding the second-highest constitutional office in India, finding the time to meet MPs who were 'newbies'. Hamid Ansari had a long and distinguished career as a diplomat. Chief of Protocol to Government of India, High Commissioner to Australia, Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador to Afghanistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Then the thirteenth Vice President of India. What is lesser-known of this Kolkata-born, is that he was a middle-order wicket-keeper batsman who won a college cap. In fact, as the Ambassador to Iran, he introduced cricket to the staff of the Indian Embassy, and it is said that he popularised the sport in that country. As the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Mr Ansari introduced many innovations in the Council of States. When Parliament was in session, he used to host a coffee meeting everyday from 10.30 to 10.55 am. This informal catch-up with floor leaders and chief whips of parties helped the Opposition and the Treasury Benches to try and reach a consensus on the order of play for the day. As Chairman, Mr Ansari had one rule cast in stone: no bill to be passed in the din. This ensured that the government of the day could not bulldoze legislation, Mr Ansari must get full credit for changing the timings of Question Hour and Zero Hour. For over six decades, Question Hour started at 11 am, followed by Zero Hour at 12 noon. The Chairman noticed that Question Hour would often be disrupted because members wanted to raise crucial issues at the start of the day. In 2014, Mr Ansari reversed the timings and since then, Zero Hour starts at 11 am (members raise issues of 'urgent public importance'), followed by Question Hour at 12 noon in Rajya Sabha. His approach to the role as the Chairman is best exemplified by what he said: 'the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is not a player but an umpire in a cricket match… You become a player; you become partisan'. He is now living a happy retired life in Delhi, and has authored many books. The second Vice President I had the pleasure to interact with in Rajya Sabha was Mr Venkaiah Naidu. A seasoned parliamentarian, he had held the portfolios of Rural Development, Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Information and Broadcasting, and Parliamentary Affairs as Minister. History will be kind to Mr Naidu who did not preside over the House on 20 September, 2020- the day the contentious Farm Laws were bamboozled in Parliament. He was born into an agricultural family. Perhaps there lies the answer. Whether it be his chamber or the floor of the House, Mr Naidu used to talk in the same tone with everyone - government or the Opposition. Admirable. And I must mention, whenever he hosted us in the Vice President's house, the non vegetarian Andhra food was terrific. Equal credit must go to Mrs Naidu for being such a wonderful host. He once jokingly told us that he might be the chief outside, but at home he had a Home Minister! Mr Naidu loved delivering snappy one-liners. On students going abroad for higher studies, he quipped, 'learn, earn, and return'. When asked if he had aspirations to become Rashtrapati, he wittily replied that he was happy being Ushapati (husband of Usha, Mrs Usha Naidu is his wife). Then there was the famous line, 'The Left can never be right'. While he had a great sense of humour, he was also very sentimental, often getting visibly misty-eyed when emotive issues were discussed in Parliament. The fourteenth Vice President of India, Mr Jagdeep Dhankar. The subject of a column. Someday.
Hindustan Times
23 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
No double standards in fight on terror: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that there is no room for double standards in the fight against terrorism and, in a reference to the activities of Khalistani elements in the UK, that extremist forces cannot be allowed to misuse democratic freedoms. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer in the UK. (PTI) India's drive against terrorism, the activities of pro-Khalistan elements and the return of economic offenders and fugitives wanted by New Delhi figured in the talks between Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said. Following one-on-one and delegation-level talks with Starmer at Chequers, the British prime minister's country residence 50 km northwest of London, Modi thanked the UK for its strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack. 'We are unanimous that double standards have no place in the fight against terrorism. We also agree that forces with extremist ideology cannot be allowed to misuse democratic freedoms,' Modi said at a joint media interaction, speaking in Hindi. 'Those who misuse democratic freedoms to undermine democracy itself, must be held to account,' he said, referring to the activities of pro-Khalistan elements that have threatened Indian diplomats and facilities in Britain. Modi also said that the agencies of both countries will continue their cooperation and coordination on the extradition of economic offenders. He also referred to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, the conflict in Ukraine and the situation in West Asia, and said: 'We support the restoration of peace and stability as soon as possible. Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries is imperative. The demand of today's era is development, not expansionism.' Modi conveyed his condolences to the families of more than 50 British citizens who were among the 260 people killed in the crash of Air India flight 171 in Ahmedabad on June 12. Ahead of the PM's arrival in the UK, there was a controversy over bungling in identifying the remains of at least two Britons killed in the crash. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri told a media briefing that Modi and Starmer had expressed their commitment to strengthen the global fight against terrorism. There was also convergence between the two sides on collaboration to combat terror. 'It was noted that extremism and radicalisation pose a threat to both societies and there was a need to enhance collaboration to deal with terrorism, extremism and radicalisation,' he said. Misri said the Indian side had shared its views on the activities of extremists in the UK. 'We've noted the fact that they are increasingly active and…continue to threaten the safety and security of our diplomatic missions and personnel, inciting violence against our leaders and diplomats,' he said. 'We have engaged at several levels on these matters with our UK counterparts and…we have received cooperation as well on these matters, including during this specific visit,' he added. Modi sought the UK's cooperation to bring to justice economic offenders and fugitives from Indian law, Misri said. Several high-profile economic offenders wanted by India, such as former liquor baron Vijay Mallya and diamantaire Nirav Modi, are currently in the UK. Other fugitives whose extradition has been sought by India include arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, criminal Iqbal Mirchi's wife Hajra Memon and their sons, and criminals Asiq Iqbal Memon and Junaid Iqbal Memon. Referring to legal processes related to the extradition of these offenders, Misri said: 'We expect that those legal processes will be taken to their conclusion in an expedited manner so that justice can be served.' A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Britain's National Crime Agency to bolster cooperation in combating corruption, serious fraud and organised crime. Misri said this agreement will institutionalise existing cooperation between the two bodies.
