President Droupadi Murmu has expressed happiness that India's relationship with Singapore has reached the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

She made the observation during her meeting with Singaporean Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Welcoming Dr Hen to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Murmu said that India and Singapore have a rich history of bilateral cooperation, which has been further boosted by the recent visit of Prime Minister Modi to Singapore and the conclusion of the 2nd round of India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable meeting.

The President congratulated Singapore for successfully co-hosting the maiden ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise, and conveyed best wishes to the armed forces of both sides for the upcoming series of joint exercises.

The President also noted the need for closer collaboration between defence R&D teams of both countries, to benefit from the latest expertise and technological advancements in the defence domain.