Rajnath Singh meets Philippines, South Korea defence ministers in Cebu

Rajnath Singh meets counterparts from Philippines and South Korea during ASEAN meet

Cebu, Oct 28

"We reviewed our ongoing defence cooperation and discussed avenues to further strengthen our strategic partnership, particularly focusing on maritime security and joint defence production. India remains committed to fostering a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region," Singh posted on X after the meeting with the Secretary of National Defence of the Philippines.

"Had a productive meeting with South Korean (ROK) Minister of National Defence Kang Shin-chul on the sidelines of the 13th #ADMMPlus in Cebu, Philippines. We reviewed our expanding bilateral defence cooperation and discussed ways to co-develop military technologies and strengthen regional security in the Indo-Pacific," he stated in another social media post.

Earlier in the day, Singh and Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met and welcomed the steady progress in bilateral defence cooperation since their meeting in August, in line with the direction they had concurred on.

Singh also held a meeting with US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, that, according to the Ministry of Defence, marked a "vital opportunity" to review the progress under the India-US Major Defence Partnership.

Reflecting on the ongoing collaboration, both sides noted the robust progression of their foundational security agreements and explored fresh pathways to accelerate operational readiness, technology sharing and defence industrial integration.

"A key highlight of the dialogue was the review of regional security, during which both nations strongly emphasised their joint resolve to eliminate the global menace of terrorism. Raksha Mantri stressed that the global community must maintain an uncompromising, zero-tolerance approach towards nations that support, train, or fund terrorist organisations. Secretary Hegseth reaffirmed the United States' unwavering solidarity and full support to India in its fight against cross-border terrorism. Raksha Mantri expressed India's deep appreciation for the consistent and strong support extended by the US," read a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence.

Defence Minister Singh also met Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles on the margins of the ADMM-Plus meeting on Wednesday.

"We had productive discussions on reviewing our bilateral defence cooperation, enhancing military interoperability, and addressing regional security challenges. India places great value on its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Australia for a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific," he stated after the meeting.

— IANS