Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Saturday, 31 May 2025, conducted a packed schedule of bilateral meetings with senior global security officials on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, advancing India's defence partnerships across Europe and the Indo-Pacific. The engagements spanned talks with counterparts from Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia, and the European Union.

India-Sweden Defence Engagement

Singh met Peter Sandwall, State Secretary to the Minister of Defence of Sweden, with both sides exploring ways to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation. Discussions centred on expanding collaboration in defence technology and innovation, reflecting India's growing interest in European defence industrial partnerships. The Ministry of Defence confirmed the meeting, noting that talks focused on 'strengthening India-Sweden defence engagement and exploring opportunities for enhanced bilateral defence cooperation.'

Deepening Ties with the Netherlands

Singh held two separate rounds of discussions with Dutch officials. In the first, he met General Onno Eichelsheim, Chief of Defence of the Netherlands, where deliberations covered military exchange programmes and bilateral training events as vehicles for deepening defence ties. Later, Singh also interacted with Netherlands Defence Minister Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius, with talks focusing on enhancing military-to-military ties and expanding collaboration in the defence industrial sector. The Ministry of Defence described the exchanges as reflecting 'the growing strategic partnership between India and the Netherlands.'

Strategic Dialogue with the European Union

Singh met Belen Martinez Carbonell, Secretary General of the European External Action Service, and Lieutenant General Enrico Barduani, Deputy Chair of the European Union Military Committee (DCEUMC). According to the Ministry of Defence, the meeting advanced strategic dialogue between India and the European Union, with discussions centred on shared security interests and avenues for deepening defence and strategic cooperation. This comes amid a broader push by New Delhi to formalise security ties with Brussels beyond trade and climate frameworks.

India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Reviewed

Earlier in the day, Singh met his Australian counterpart, Meghan Quinn, Defence Secretary of Australia. Both sides reviewed the progress of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and discussed forthcoming high-level engagements. The two delegations also explored opportunities to further strengthen defence cooperation in areas of mutual interest, building on the momentum of recent bilateral summits.

Significance of the Shangri-La Dialogue Engagements

The Shangri-La Dialogue, hosted annually by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in Singapore, is Asia's premier defence and security summit. India's active bilateral calendar at the forum signals New Delhi's intent to diversify its defence partnerships beyond traditional suppliers. Notably, the engagements with both Sweden and the Netherlands carry industrial significance — both countries host major defence manufacturers with technology India is actively seeking for its modernisation programmes. The EU-level talks, involving both the diplomatic and military arms of the bloc, suggest India is pursuing a more structured security relationship with Europe at a time of heightened global uncertainty.