Defense Minister Rajnath Singh made a brief stopover in Singapore during his return journey from Indonesia. His visit to Singapore included paying respects to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose by laying a wreath at the Indian National Army (INA) marker, as confirmed by the defense ministry.
Prior to this visit, Singh had spent two days in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, participating in a meeting of the 10-nation ASEAN and engaging with some of its dialogue partners.
The ministry clarified, "Following his engagements in Indonesia, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh made a short visit to Singapore on November 18 while en route to India."
Singh honored the memory of the ''Unknown Warriors'' of the Indian National Army (INA) at the INA Memorial marker in Singapore. Expressing his sentiments, he shared, "Paid homage at the INA Memorial marker in Singapore. My heartfelt tributes to the 'Unknown Warriors' of the INA," on his social media platform.
The ministry highlighted that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose himself proposed the construction of a monument to honor the ''Unknown Warriors'' and laid the foundation stone in July 1945.
Regarding the INA marker, it was erected in 1995 by the National Heritage Board of Singapore at the original memorial's location, as mentioned by the ministry's statement.
During his visit, apart from the INA Memorial, Singh also visited the Sri Srinivasa Perumal temple, a revered Hindu temple in Singapore dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This temple holds historical significance, tracing its origins back to 1855.
Furthermore, Singh took the opportunity to explore the Indian Heritage Centre situated in the vibrant "Little India" area of Singapore. Established in 2015 under the National Heritage Board, this center is dedicated to documenting and preserving the rich narrative of the journey of Singaporean Indians, as highlighted by the defense ministry.
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