India expands defence diplomacy with Netherlands, Australia and EU on sidelines of Shangri-La Dialogue
Singapore, May 30
India on Saturday continued its high-level defence engagements on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh holding separate bilateral meetings with senior counterparts from the Netherlands, Australia and EU.
The discussions underscored India's focus on strengthening defence cooperation, military interoperability, and defence industrial collaboration with key partners.
In a post on X, the Ministry of Defence said that the Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met the Dutch Defence Minister Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius, with talks centred on expanding bilateral defence cooperation. Both sides discussed "strengthening military-to-military ties" and explored "opportunities for defence industrial collaboration", reflecting the "reflecting the growing strategic partnership between India and Netherlands."
The post said, "Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh interacted with Defence Minister, #Netherlands Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral #DefenceCooperation, strengthening military-to-military ties, and exploring opportunities for defence industrial collaboration, reflecting the growing strategic partnership between India and Netherlands."
In another post on X, the Ministry of Defence said that Singh held discussions with the Australian Defence Secretary, Meghan Quinn. The two sides reviewed progress under the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, assessed upcoming high-level exchanges, and identified new areas to deepen defence cooperation across shared strategic priorities.
The post said, "Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh held bilateral discussions with Defence Secretary #Australia Ms Meghan Quinn. Both sides reviewed the progress of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, discussed forthcoming high-level engagements, and explored avenues to further strengthen #DefenceCooperation in areas of mutual interest."
India and the European Union (EU), also on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, strengthened their ongoing strategic engagement in defence and security through high-level discussions aimed at expanding cooperation on shared priorities.
In a post on X, the Ministry of Defence said," Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh interacted with Secretary General of the European External Action Service Ms Belen Martinez Carbonell and Deputy Chair of the European Union Military Committee (DCEUMC) Lt Gen Enrico Barduani."
The post added, "The meeting advanced strategic dialogue between #India and the #EuropeanUnion, with discussions on shared security interests and avenues for deepening defence and strategic cooperation."
Earlier on Saturday, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Friday paid tributes at the Kranji War Memorial in Singapore.Singh laid a wreath in honour of the brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice during the World Wars.
In a post on X, the Ministry of Defence said, "Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh paid solemn tributes at the Kranji War Memorial in #Singapore and laid a wreath in honour of the brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice during the World Wars. The honour symbolises close ties between India and Singapore in remembering shared history."
On the same day, Singh also held talks with Senior Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence, Canada, Kelvin Brosseau, on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue 2026.
In a post on X, the Ministry of Defence said, "Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh interacted with Senior Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence, Canada, Kelvin Brosseau, on the sidelines of Shangri La Dialogue 2026. Both sides discussed ways to strengthen India-Canada defence cooperation and explored opportunities for deeper collaboration across key domains, reflecting the growing convergence of strategic interests between the two nations."
— ANI
Reader Comments
The Kranji War Memorial tribute was a classy touch—honouring WWII soldiers who sacrificed in Singapore. It shows India values shared history even as we build new strategic partnerships. But does anyone else wonder why we're simultaneously deepening ties with Canada given the current diplomatic tensions? 🤔 Hope the MOD knows what they're doing.
As someone who follows defence news closely, I think these dialogues are important but we need concrete outcomes. What specific technologies or platforms are we co-developing with Australia? What's the timeline on interoperability exercises with the Dutch Navy? Without measurable deliverables, these high-level talks remain photo-ops. Just saying. 🤷
India simultaneously engaging with EU, Australia, Netherlands, and Canada shows our multi-aligned foreign policy is working well. Unlike superpowers who dictate terms, we're building partnerships based on mutual respect. 🇮🇳 But I hope the opposition doesn't make this a political football—defence diplomacy should be above petty politics. Jai Hind!
Honestly, while these diplomatic chats are necessary, what about our domestic defence manufacturing? We keep talking about Make in India but still import 60% of our military hardware. These partnerships should mandate technology sharing—not just purchase agreements. The Netherlands has great naval tech; Australia has expertise in undersea warfare. Let's leverage that properly! 🛠️
I'm glad India is engaging with the EU separately—they have capabilities in cybersecurity, space, and hybrid warfare that complement our needs. The Shangri-La Dialogue is the right place for this networking. One concern: are we overstret
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