Cebu, October 28, 2026: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu, Philippines, to review progress under the 10-year India-US Defence Framework and explore avenues for strengthening bilateral defence cooperation.
In a post on X, Singh said the two leaders reviewed progress under the framework, focusing on strategic convergence in military technology, information sharing and co-production. He described the India-US partnership as a cornerstone for a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific.
Hegseth also confirmed the meeting in a post on X, stating that the two sides marked the first anniversary of the Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership and explored ways to deepen cooperation.
The framework, signed in 2025, provides a unified vision and policy direction for transforming bilateral defence ties over the following decade.
Singh is leading the Indian delegation at the ADMM-Plus meeting, being held from October 28 to 29. He is scheduled to address the forum on the theme, “Exchange of Views on Regional and International Security Issues,” focusing on shared regional and international security challenges.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Singh is also scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with defence counterparts from the United States, Japan, Australia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea and other participating nations to review ongoing defence ties and explore opportunities to strengthen strategic partnerships.
Hegseth, meanwhile, held meetings with defence leaders from South Korea, Australia and Japan. In his remarks on the meeting with South Korean Defence Minister Kang, he highlighted the importance of military readiness and combined capabilities in deterring aggression. Following his meeting with Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, Hegseth said the two sides discussed optimising their alliance to strengthen deterrence. His discussions with Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi focused on strategic alignment, defence investment, access, realistic training and munitions production.
Singh arrived in Cebu on Tuesday night and received a ceremonial welcome from Major General Fabian M. Pedregosa (Retd), Undersecretary of the Philippine Department of National Defence. Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Harsh Kumar Jain and Defence Attaché Captain ChandraKant Kothari were also present. Singh subsequently interacted with members of the Indian community and Filipino nationals.
Before departing for the Philippines, Singh reiterated India’s commitment to strengthening engagement with ASEAN and promoting peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific under its Act East Policy.
The ADMM-Plus serves as a platform for ASEAN member states and eight dialogue partners—India, the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand—to strengthen regional security and defence cooperation. The inaugural meeting was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2010, and ministerial meetings have been held annually since 2017. The Philippines is chairing the forum in 2026.
India became an ASEAN dialogue partner in 1992 and is co-chairing the Experts Working Group on Counter-Terrorism with Malaysia for the 2024–2027 cycle.
India’s participation in ADMM-Plus forms part of its broader efforts to deepen defence diplomacy in Southeast Asia, strengthen strategic partnerships and support regional peace, stability and collective growth under the Act East Policy. (ANI)
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