Modi, US defence secretary meet on last day of Singapore summit
PM SAYS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE US HAS OVERCOME HESITATIONS OF HISTORY
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US Defence Secretary James Mattis on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue and went on board an Indian Navy ship at a naval base here yesterday, the concluding day of his three-nation tour of south-east Asia, before departing for India.
Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted that the focus of conversation with Mattis was on the region in the context of Modi’s Thursday keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
In his speech, Modi said that India’s vision for the IndoPacific region is that of a free, open and inclusive region that embraces all in a common pursuit of progress and prosperity.
Gandhi tribute
He also said that India’s global strategic partnership with the US has overcome the hesitations of history and “continues to deepen across the extraordinary breadth of our relationship”.
“It has assumed new significance in the changing world. And, an important pillar of this partnership is our shared vision of an open, stable, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” he said.
The three-day Shangri-La Dialogue that commenced on Thursday is a Track I annual inter-governmental security forum organised by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) think tank.
Modi started his engagements yesterday with a meeting with Singapore Emeritus Senior Minister and former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.
Following the meeting, the two leaders unveiled a plaque to pay tribute at the immersion site of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes at Clifford Pier in the city state.