China's Defense Minister Li Shangfu sits at the table with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during the keynote address at the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, on June 2, 2023 (Reuters)

Five sources told Reuters that top officials from almost two dozen of the world's powerful intelligence agencies met in secret this weekend on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security gathering in Singapore.

According to the sources, such gatherings are planned by the Singapore government and have been held covertly for numerous years at a separate site alongside the security summit. The meetings have not before been publicized, Reuters pointed out.

The news agency highlighted that the Director of US National Intelligence Avril Haines took part in the meeting, adding that China was also represented, despite tensions between the two giants.

Reuters cited an Indian source as saying that Samant Goel, the Director of the Research and Analysis Wing of India, was among the attendees.

One informed source told the news agency that "the meeting is an important fixture on the international shadow agenda."

"Given the range of countries involved, it is not a festival of tradecraft, but rather a way of promoting a deeper understanding of intentions and bottom lines," the source pointed out.

"There is an unspoken code among intelligence services that they can talk when more formal and open diplomacy is harder - it is a very important factor during times of tension, and the Singapore event helps promote that," the source revealed.

In a related context, Reuters cited a spokesperson for the Singapore Ministry of Defense as saying that while attending the Shangri-La Dialogue, "participants including senior officials from intelligence agencies also take the opportunity to meet their counterparts."

The spokesperson admitted that "the Singapore Ministry of Defence may facilitate some of these bilateral or multilateral meetings," adding that "participants have found such meetings held on the sidelines of the (dialogue) beneficial."

The informed source told Reuters that the Ukraine war, as well as transnational crime, were discussed on Friday. One of the sources said that no Russian representative was present at the meeting.

According to the news agency, Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister, Volodymr Havrylov, was present at the Shangri-La Dialogue but did not attend the secret meeting.

Elsewhere, Reuters cited another source as saying that the meeting's tone was "collaborative and cooperative," rather than "confrontational".