US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has hailed India's growing military capabilities, calling the country a critical anchor in South Asia and a key pillar of the Indo-Pacific security architecture. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth highlighted India's military modernisation, defence-industrial expansion and growing strategic importance. He also pointed to expanding India-US defence cooperation, including co-production initiatives and joint capability development, while stressing the need to maintain a balance of power across the region.