A two-paragraph Indian defence ministry release offered no details of the accord, apparently in deference to recent political controversies over large- scale joint exercises with foreign militaries.

A statement from Singapore's Ministry of Defence was similarly short on detail, but said: 'The conclusion of the agreement is testament to the growing bilateral relations between India and Singapore.'

India's Left parties, which give the government critical parliamentary support, protested vociferously against last month's Exercise Malabar in the Bay of Bengal. That massive naval war game, led by the US and India, also involved the Japanese and Australian navies, and a lone Singapore frigate.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force has previously exercised with the Indian Air Force in Kalaikunda, West Bengal, and at Gwalior, in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.

'The location could be anywhere in India,' a senior official connected with the talks told The Straits Times.

The agreement, signed by Singapore's Permanent Secretary of Defence, Mr Chiang Chie Foo, and his Indian counterpart, Mr Vijay Singh, kicked off a two-day meeting of the fourth India-Singapore Defence Policy Dialogue (DPD).

Yesterday's Indian press statement merely noted that both sides gave an update on India-Singapore defence relations and expressed the need to further intensify cooperation.

'Sub-groups reported progress made in respective fields including research and development. Regional security aspects, both from Indian and Singaporean perspectives, were discussed,' it said.

The defence ties between the two countries include regular sharing of intelligence on subjects such as terrorism.

Meanwhile, the economic relationship is growing apace, particularly since both sides inked their Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement two years ago.

Bilateral trade last year jumped 20 per cent to S$20 billion - a record - and Singapore expects more than a million Indian tourists this year.

Officials indicated that similar long-term arrangements for army exercises may take shape in the months to come.

The SAF last year conducted its first artillery training exercise in Deolali, a town some 200 km north-east of the western Indian metropolis Mumbai. Similarly, SAF armoured exercises have been held in Babina, a town 400 km south of New Delhi, for two years now.

Long-term training arrangements will mean that SAF equipment can remain in India. Singapore can also build permanent facilities in these areas for its men and machines, for use over an extended period.

While joint naval exercises, particularly in anti-submarine warfare, have been going on since the mid-1990s, the joint exercises involving other arms are comparatively recent; the RSAF and the Indian Air Force conducted their first joint training in India in late 2004.

The DPD was inaugurated earlier that year, after being established under the Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in late 2003.

Mindef also said yesterday that the DPD provides a forum to oversee and drive forward the bilateral defence relationship, and noted that a fourth joint army exercise is scheduled to begin next week.

It added that the annual joint naval exercise has grown in scope and complexity since it began, 'to include three-dimensional warfare and bilateral maritime patrol exercises'.

velloor@sph.com.sg