National
Would encourage Indian Naval ships to come to Singapore: Defence Minister Ng
New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on Wednesday said he would “encourage” Indian Naval ships to visit Changi Naval Base in Singapore, close to the South China Sea, more often.
He also said that Singapore wants more activities in both the Strait of Malacca and Andaman Sea.
Ng was speaking at a joint press conference with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman after holding the second Singapore-India Defence Ministers Dialogue here, where the two nations concluded a bilateral agreement for naval cooperation.
Asked if Singapore would allow operational turnaround to Indian Naval ships at their naval base, Ng said: “I would respond categorically — I would not just be comfortable, I would encourage the Indian Navy to visit Changi Naval Base more often.”
Ng said the bilateral naval agreement signed by the two countries on Wednesday had provision for logistics support.
“The bilateral naval agreement has provision for mutual logistics support. We will exercise and patrol in your waters as do in ours. We try to economise and support each other,” he said.
Calling the Strait of Malacca and Indian Ocean key lines of communication, the Minister said it “makes sense for countries to cooperate not only to establish maritime security but to maintain freedom of navigation. Because we know it is the lifeline for economies.”
“I think I speak on behalf of both countries, we want to see more participation and activity in both Strait of Malacca and Andaman Sea,” he said.
A joint statement issued by the two countries said the India-Singapore Bilateral Naval Agreement will lead to increased cooperation in maritime security, joint exercises, temporary deployments.
The two sides reaffirmed the importance of freedom of navigation and trade consistent with international laws. This comes in the backdrop of China’s increased aggression in South China Sea and the increased presence of Chinese Naval ships and submarines in the Indian Ocean.
–IANS
ao/rn
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.