Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pays homage to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in brief Singapore stopover

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made a brief stopover in Singapore on Saturday during his return journey from Indonesia.

During his visit, Singh paid respects to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose by placing a wreath at the Indian National Army (INA) marker, as announced by the defence ministry.

The Defence Minister had recently concluded a two-day trip to Jakarta, Indonesia, where he participated in a meeting of the 10-nation ASEAN and engaged with some of its dialogue partners.

According to the ministry’s statement, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose himself proposed the construction of a monument to honour the “Unknown Warriors” of the INA, laying the foundation stone in July 1945. Singh acknowledged this legacy by paying homage at the INA Memorial marker in Singapore, expressing heartfelt tributes to the INA’s ‘Unknown Warriors’ in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Paid homage at the INA Memorial marker in Singapore. My heartfelt tributes to the ‘Unknown Warriors’ of the INA. pic.twitter.com/lXnz2R8AlG

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) November 18, 2023

Singh highlighted that in 1995, the National Heritage Board of Singapore erected the INA marker at the same location as the original memorial.

Additionally, the defence minister took part in a prayer session at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu and one of Singapore’s oldest Hindu temples dating back to 1855.

During his visit, Singh also explored the Indian Heritage Centre located in the “Little India” area of the city-state.

Established in 2015 under the National Heritage Board, the centre serves as a documentation hub, narrating the compelling journey of Singaporean Indians, as per the defence ministry.

With inputs from PTI