Kuala Lumpur, Oct 31 (IANS) — Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday held talks with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur, marking a significant bilateral engagement ahead of the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), which begins on November 1.
The meeting, part of a series of high-level discussions among defence leaders attending the multilateral security forum, focused on strengthening India–US defence cooperation and reviewing regional security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
Details of the discussions are yet to be released, but the dialogue is seen as a step towards bolstering strategic ties between the two nations amid evolving regional dynamics.
Earlier in the day, Secretary Hegseth also met with his Malaysian and Chinese counterparts. Sharing insights from his meeting with Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun on X, Hegseth wrote:
“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 discussion. I underscored the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and expressed US concerns about China’s actions in the South China Sea, around Taiwan, and towards US allies and partners in the region.
“The United States does not seek conflict, but will firmly defend its interests and ensure it maintains strong capabilities in the Indo-Pacific. Today’s meeting followed our September 9 videoconference call with Admiral Dong, and we will continue dialogue with the People’s Liberation Army on issues of mutual importance.”
Rajnath Singh arrived in Malaysia on Thursday for a two-day visit to attend the ADMM-Plus. He was welcomed at Subang Airbase by India’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, B.N. Reddy.
The 12th ADMM-Plus, hosted in Kuala Lumpur, brings together ASEAN member states and eight dialogue partners — India, the US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand — for discussions on regional and global security.
Defence Minister Singh is scheduled to address the forum on the theme “Reflection on 15 Years of ADMM-Plus and Charting the Way Forward.” During his visit, he will also hold bilateral meetings with defence ministers and senior leaders from participating nations.
India, a dialogue partner of ASEAN since 1992, has been an active participant in the 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 slated for 2026.
