Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh held wide-ranging bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on 31 May 2025, including a key discussion with House Armed Services Committee member Pat Harrigan, who led a bipartisan US Congressional Delegation (CODEL). The talks centred on regional security, expanding defence cooperation, and advancing shared strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific.

India-US Defence Engagement

The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the meeting with Harrigan's delegation 'reaffirmed the strength of the India-US defence partnership.' Discussions covered the evolving security architecture of the Indo-Pacific, a region that has emerged as the central theatre of great-power competition. This engagement comes amid sustained momentum in the India-US Major Defence Partnership, which has seen a steady uptick in joint exercises, technology transfers, and co-production agreements over the past decade.

Meetings with New Zealand, Singapore, and European Partners

Earlier on the same day, Singh met the Defence Ministers of New Zealand and Singapore, with talks focused on strengthening bilateral defence ties, enhancing maritime cooperation, and advancing information-sharing mechanisms. Both meetings underscored a shared commitment to 'a secure, stable and inclusive Indo-Pacific,' according to the Ministry of Defence.

On Saturday, Singh met Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the Istana reception, where discussions focused on deepening bilateral strategic ties. He also held talks with Sweden's State Secretary to the Minister of Defence, Peter Sandwall, exploring opportunities in defence technology and innovation — a domain where India has been actively seeking European partnerships under its Atmanirbhar Bharat defence push.

Singh further met Netherlands' Chief of Defence General Onno Eichelsheim, discussing military exchange programmes and joint training events, and separately held talks with Netherlands' Defence Minister Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius, focusing on defence industrial collaboration. The Ministry described the exchange as reflecting 'the growing strategic partnership between India and the Netherlands.'

EU Strategic Dialogue and Australia Talks

Singh also interacted with Belen Martinez Carbonell, Secretary General of the European External Action Service, and Lieutenant General Enrico Barduani, Deputy Chair of the EU Military Committee. According to the Ministry of Defence, the meeting 'advanced strategic dialogue between India and the European Union,' with discussions on shared security interests and avenues for deeper defence cooperation.

In a separate meeting, Singh reviewed progress on the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with his Australian counterpart Meghan Quinn, discussing upcoming high-level engagements and opportunities for enhanced defence cooperation.

Context: The Shangri-La Dialogue

The Shangri-La Dialogue is Asia's premier defence summit, drawing decision-makers from across the Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Middle East to address pressing regional security challenges. India's intensive bilateral calendar at this year's edition signals New Delhi's growing centrality in shaping the Indo-Pacific security order — a role that has accelerated since the Quad was revived in 2017 and deepened through subsequent multilateral frameworks.

Singh's engagements span four continents' defence establishments in a single weekend, underscoring India's strategy of multi-alignment — building robust defence ties with the US, Europe, and regional partners simultaneously rather than anchoring exclusively to any one bloc.