Rajnath meets his Asia-Pacific counterparts, US secy of defence in Laos

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met his South Korean, Australian and New Zealand counterparts on the sidelines of 11th Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Lao PDR.

He also met US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J Austin.

In his meeting with South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong Hyun, the Defence Minister emphasised that defence manufacturing ecosystems of the two nations had a great potential for growth in co-production and co-development.

He invited the Korean side to invest in India's defence corridors which has tremendous opportunities for Korean companies to set up manufacturing facilities in India.

India and Korea share a Special Strategic Partnership which has made significant progress in recent years and is bound to move to the next higher level, a release said.

The two sides agreed that bilateral defence cooperation is on a positive trajectory and the similarity of challenges and threats necessitated strong bilateral defence relations.

Both sides agreed to work together on the 'Road map for Defence Industry Corporation' signed in February 2020 through established mechanisms like Defence Policy Dialogue (DPD). The next edition of DPD is scheduled in December 2024.

Rajnath Singh congratulated Kim Yong Hyun on being appointed as the Defence Minister of Korea.

In his meeting with Minister for Defence Industry & Capability Delivery of Australia Pat Conroy, Rajnath Singh recalled that India-Australia partnership is grounded in shared interests, especially stability and security in the Indian Ocean region.

He expressed happiness over the significant milestones achieved in the defence engagements over the last few years. Rajnath Singh pointed out the untapped potential for Indian and defence industries to collaborate and cooperate in niche areas.

Implementing arrangement on air-to-air refuelling was exchanged between the two countries. This would strengthen inter-operability between the two Air Forces, a significant step forward in bilateral relationship. Both sides agreed to take defence engagements to the next higher level by cooperating bilaterally as well as in regional context.

In his meeting with Defence Minister of New Zealand Judith Collins, Rajnath Singh said the bilateral relationship was anchored in shared democratic traditions, commonality of institutions of governance, rule of law, English language, love for cricket, mountaineering and hockey and also shared vision of a peaceful, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

He requested for early finalisation of Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) in order to further strengthen the defence cooperation between two countries, which is growing continuously through regular exchanges of visits of senior defence officials and naval ships. He also highlighted the capabilities of India's strong shipbuilding Industry and both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in this important area.

Rajnath Singh attended the 11th Asean Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus (ADMM Plus).

Singh on Wednesday also held bilaterals with Khaled Nordin, Minister of Defence, Malaysia and General Chansamone Chanyalath, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence of Lao PDR.

He also participated in an Indian Community event where he highlighted the progress India has made in various spheres in recent years.  Defence Minister Rajnath Singh meets US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J Austin and discussed the progress made in the India-US defence partnership, highlighting increased cooperation in defence operations, information sharing, and industrial innovation.

 

The meeting was held on Thursday on the sidelines of the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus in Vientiane, Laos.

 

In a post on X after the meeting, the US Defence Secretary said, "Great meeting with Indian Defense Minister Singh in Laos. We're deepening our defence ties, from building interoperability through exercises like MALABAR to technology innovation through INDUS-X. Thank you, Minister Rajnath Singh, for your friendship and leadership."

 

Rajnath Singh also posted about the meeting on his X platform stating, "It is always a matter of immense joy to meet my friend, Lloyd Austin. He has been a great friend to India. His contribution towards strengthening the India-US defence partnership has been exemplary."

 

A statement by the Ministry of Defence further outlined the meeting's key points, with both sides acknowledging the advancements under the US-India Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap. The cooperation includes efforts to improve co-production arrangements for jet engines, munitions, and ground mobility systems.

 

According to MoD, Singh during the meeting recalled his visit to the US in August 2024, where two important agreements were signed - the Security of Supplies Agreement (SOSA) and a Memorandum of Agreement regarding the deployment of Liaison Officers. Both leaders then welcomed these agreements and underlined efforts to enhance military collaboration and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

 

During the meeting, Defence Minister Singh also referred to the successful QUAD Summit held in September, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi also participated. The statement added that Singh stressed the importance of working together on new initiatives such as the Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI) and a Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project.

 

The leaders also expressed their support for the growing collaboration in defence innovation between governments, businesses, and academic institutions, encouraged by the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem. The two sides agreed to continue building on the momentum achieved over the past two and a half years.