On the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh held talks with a US Congressional Delegation, reaffirming the strength of the India-US defence partnership and discussing regional security in the Indo-Pacific.
India-US Reaffirm Defence Partnership
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Sunday held discussions with US Congressman and member of the House Armed Services Committee Pat Harrigan, who led a bipartisan US Congressional Delegation (CODEL) on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, reaffirming the growing strategic partnership between India and the United States.
In a post on X, the Ministry of Defence said, "Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh held productive discussions with Member, House Armed Services Committee Pat Harrigan, who led a bipartisan US Congressional Delegation (CODEL)." Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh held productive discussions with Member, House Armed Services Committee Mr Pat Harrigan, who led a bipartisan U.S. Congressional Delegation (CODEL). The interaction reaffirmed the strength of the India–U.S. defence partnership, with… pic.twitter.com/xwj65AOM1b — Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) May 31, 2026
The discussions, according to the post, focused on "regional security, expanding defence cooperation, and advancing shared strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific."
Highlighting the key outcomes of the interactions, the ministry added, "The interaction reaffirmed the strength of the India - US defence partnership, with exchanges on regional security, expanding defence cooperation, and advancing shared strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific."
Engagements with New Zealand and Singapore
Earlier, India held high-level defence engagements with New Zealand and Singapore on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue 2026 in Singapore, focusing on deepening strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
In a post on X by the Ministry of Defence, it was stated that the Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh "held productive interactions with Defence Minister of New Zealand Chris Penk and Minister for Defence of Singapore Chan Chun Sing on the sidelines of Shangri-La Dialogue 2026." Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh held productive interactions with Defence Minister of New Zealand Mr Chris Penk and Minister for Defence of Singapore Mr Chan Chun Sing on the sidelines of #ShangriLaDialogue2026. The engagements focused on strengthening bilateral… pic.twitter.com/T4xqPBLZ1E — Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) May 31, 2026
The post highlighted that the engagements focused on "strengthening bilateral defence ties, enhancing maritime cooperation, advancing information-sharing mechanisms, and reaffirming a shared commitment to a secure, stable and inclusive Indo-Pacific."
Further Bilateral Engagements
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Defence Secretary Singh met Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue 2026, as India continued its high-level defence engagements with key international partners in Singapore.
Singh and President Shanmugaratnam interacted at the Istana reception, where discussions focused on strengthening bilateral strategic ties and expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest. In a post on X, the Ministry of Defence said, "Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh interacted with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the Istana reception hosted on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue 2026. The discussions focused on further strengthening bilateral strategic ties and advancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest."
On the same day, Singh met Sweden's State Secretary to the Minister of Defence, Peter Sandwall, and discussed ways to deepen defence engagement between the two countries.
In a post on X, the Ministry of Defence said, "Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh interacted with State Secretary to the Minister of Defence, Sweden, Peter Sandwall. Discussions focused on strengthening India-Sweden defence engagement and exploring opportunities for enhanced bilateral Defence Cooperation, including in the domain of defence technology and innovation."
Singh on Saturday also held bilateral discussions with the Chief of Defence of the Netherlands, General Onno Eichelsheim.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the discussions focused on expanding military exchange programmes and bilateral training events. (ANI)
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