Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met his Singaporean counterpart, Chan Chun Sing, in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday to discuss expanding and deepening defence cooperation between India and Singapore. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 19th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus).

Singh reaffirmed India’s strong commitment to strengthening bilateral defence ties. “It was wonderful to exchange views with Singapore’s Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing in Kuala Lumpur. We discussed expanding the India–Singapore defence partnership,” Singh posted on X.

The two ministers reviewed current defence engagements and explored new avenues for collaboration in joint training, maritime security, and strategic coordination in the Indo-Pacific.

Earlier in the day, Singh met New Zealand’s Defence Minister Judith Collins, extending an invitation for her to visit India to reaffirm the shared vision for a forward-looking defence partnership. He also held talks with Vietnamese Defence Minister Gen. Phan Van Giang, reviewing ongoing cooperation and exploring ways to deepen strategic ties.

Singh’s visit to Malaysia also included a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Defence Minister Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, focusing on enhancing the India–Malaysia defence partnership.

Additionally, Singh met U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, where both sides signed a 10-year Framework for the U.S.–India Major Defence Partnership, marking a milestone in strategic cooperation between New Delhi and Washington.

Singh arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday for the two-day ASEAN summit, underscoring India’s growing engagement with the Asia-Pacific region and its partners in promoting regional peace, stability, and defence collaboration.