New Delhi: The Ministry of Defense has made significant strides in strengthening India’s defense cooperation with friendly nations throughout the year, with a focus on military drills, dignitary visits, and bilateral talks. Key figures, including Chief of Defence Staff, the three service chiefs, Defense Secretary, Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, traveled to various countries to foster deeper defense relations.
Notable visits included:
- United States (August 23-26): Defense Minister Rajnath Singh visited the U.S. to meet with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Discussions centered on regional security, industrial cooperation, bilateral defense relations, and other global challenges. Singh also met with Jake Sullivan, the U.S. Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.
- Russia (December 8-10): Singh traveled to Moscow, where he co-chaired the 21st session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation with his Russian counterpart. During the visit, Singh met President Vladimir Putin, and both leaders discussed the potential for enhancing bilateral defense cooperation, emphasizing the promising future of their collaboration.
- United Kingdom (January 9-10): Singh’s visit to London included talks with UK military minister Grant Shapps, focusing on strengthening military industry cooperation. He also met with then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, highlighting the progress in transforming historical ties into contemporary, mutually beneficial relations.
- Lao PDR (November 21): At the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), Singh advocated for peaceful coexistence based on Buddhist principles and reiterated India’s support for a rule-based international order in the Indo-Pacific. He also met with Chinese Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun, emphasizing the importance of friendly India-China relations for global peace.
- Japan (August 20): Singh and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar hosted Japanese Defense Minister Kihara Minoru and Foreign Affairs Minister Yoko Kamikawa for the 3rd India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi. The ministers discussed enhancing defense cooperation and reviewed ongoing initiatives.
- Singapore (October 22): Singh co-chaired the sixth India-Singapore defense ministerial dialogue in New Delhi. The two sides acknowledged the long-standing defense ties between the nations, based on a shared commitment to regional peace, stability, and security.
- Netherlands (February 23): Singh met with Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren in New Delhi to discuss expanding bilateral defense cooperation, particularly in industrial and maritime sectors, and enhancing maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region.
In addition to these visits, Singh met with defense ministers from Malaysia, Laos, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines, underscoring India’s commitment to building strong defense ties globally. He also recognized the progress made under the US-India Defense Industrial Cooperation Roadmap and emphasized the importance of fostering global peace through cooperation.
