Shangri-La Dialogue: India's defence secretary reaffirms military coop with US; engages with Nato military committee chair

India has underscored its strategic priorities for a stable and secure Indo-Pacific through high-level diplomatic outreach and academic engagement in Singapore.

In a post on X on Friday, the defence ministry said that defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue 2026, “engaged with leading think tanks and academia on strengthening the Indo-Pacific security architecture, defence industrial collaboration and emerging technology partnerships.”

Addressing a distinguished gathering on “India's Defence Diplomacy for a Stable, Secure and Inclusive Indo Pacific”, Singh shared “India's vision for regional security and strategic engagement”.

On the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, the defence secretary held discussions with the Commander of the United States INDOPACOM (Indo-Pacific Command), Admiral Samuel J Paparo as India and the US reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening defence and security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. “Discussions focused on strengthening military-to-military cooperation, enhancing collaboration in the Indo-Pacific, and addressing emerging security challenges, reaffirming the shared commitment towards deepening India-US strategic defence ties,” Directorate of Public Relations, Ministry of Defence, posted on X.

The defence secretary also engaged with the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, NATO Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone. “Discussions focused on enhancing strategic dialogue and exchanging perspectives on evolving global security challenges. The interaction reaffirmed India’s commitment to constructive engagement with key multilateral defence organisations," the ministry said on X.

Singh also co-chaired the 16th Defence Policy Dialogue with permanent secretary (Defence), Singapore Joseph Leong. The dialogue reaffirmed the robust bilateral defence partnership between the two nations. Wide-ranging discussions were held on key areas of defence cooperation, security collaboration and avenues to further strengthen the strategic relationship between India and Singapore.”