Antony heads to S'pore for VI Shangri-La Dialogue

New Delhi, May 31: Defence Minister A K Antony leaves tonight for Singapore to attend the Sixth Asia Security Conference where he will address the second plenary session on 'China and India : Building International Stability'.

The Asia Security Conference -- widely known as The Shangri-La Dialogue and organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, London -- has been recognised as a key event for defence and security diplomacy for the region.

Since its inaugural meeting in 2002, the Dialogue has become a recognised part of the architecture of Asian defence diplomacy and is seen as the region's premier and most inclusive security institution.

The Shangri-La Dialogue continues to serve as the best available vehicle in the Asia-Pacific region for developing and channelling astute and effective public policy on defence and security.

During his three-day stay in the island nation, Defence Minister Antony will also hold bilateral meetings with his Singaporean counterpart besides Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, US Secretary of Defence Robert M Gates, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence of Cambodia General Tea Banh, Japanese Minister of Defence Fumio Kyuma, Minister of State for the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom Adam Ingram, Secretary General of National Defence of France Francis Delon, Secretary of National Defence of Philippines Hermogenes E Ebdane Jr Australian Minister of Defence Brendan Nelson and the Chief of Army Staff of Bangladesh General Moeen U Ahmed.

Minister Antony will also call on Singaporean Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong before returning home on Sunday.

UNI