Kuala Lumpur: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday held a meeting with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur, marking a key bilateral engagement on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) scheduled to begin on November 1.
The meeting between Singh and Hegseth is taking place as part of a series of discussions between defence leaders attending the multilateral security forum.
Details of their talks were awaited, but the meeting is expected to focus on deepening India-US defence cooperation and discussing regional security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
Earlier in the day, Hegseth held separate meetings with his Malaysian and Chinese counterparts.
Sharing details of his talks with Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun, Hegseth posted on X, “Today, I met with China’s Minister of National Defence Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus.
“It was a good and constructive meeting. I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and emphasised US concerns about China’s activities in the South China Sea, around Taiwan, and towards US allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific.
“United States does not seek conflict, it will continue to stoutly defend its interests and ensure it has the capabilities in the region to do so. Today’s meeting followed our September 9 videoconference call with Admiral Dong. We will continue discussions with the People’s Liberation Army on matters of mutual importance.”
Earlier on Thursday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Malaysia on a two-day visit to attend the ADMM-Plus. He was received at Subang Airbase by India’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, B.N. Reddy.
The 12th ADMM-Plus, being held in Kuala Lumpur, will feature discussions among ASEAN member states and eight dialogue partners, including India, the US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
Rajnath Singh is expected to address the forum on the theme ‘Reflection on 15 Years of ADMM-Plus and Charting the Way Forward.’
During his visit, Singh will also hold bilateral meetings with defence ministers and senior leadership from participating nations.
India, a dialogue partner of ASEAN since 1992, has played an active role in ADMM-Plus since its inception in 2010. Under the current cycle (2024–2027), India and Malaysia are co-chairs of the Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism. The next ASEAN–India Maritime Exercise is scheduled for 2026.
(IANS)
