Aerospace

On the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus in Cebu, Philippines, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held a productive bilateral meeting with the Minister for Defence of Singapore Mr Chan Chun Sing on October 28, 2026. The meeting highlighted the deep-rooted, historical ties and strong strategic partnership between the two nations, providing an opportunity for both leaders to review ongoing defence initiatives and chart out future areas of cooperation.

The two Ministers expressed deep satisfaction with the strong momentum in bilateral defence relations. The deliberations focused on expanding the scope of joint military exercises across the Army, Navy, and Air Force, aimed at enhancing operational synergy and mutual understanding.

Raksha Mantri reiterated India’s commitment to ASEAN centrality and a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. He acknowledged Singapore as a key pillar in India’s Act East Policy.

To further strengthen the defence industry and technology collaboration, Shri Rajnath Singh formally extended an invitation to Mr Chan Chun Sing to participate in the upcoming Aero India 2027 scheduled to take place in Bengaluru in February. Raksha Mantri also congratulated the Singaporean Defence Minister on taking over  the chair of ADMM-Plus for 2027, and conveyed best wishes.

New Delhi: The second India–Fiji Bilateral Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting was held in New Delhi on September 28, 2026.The two countries held discussions on a wide range of areas of mutual interest, including military training and capacity building, service-to-service engagements, maritime security, cyber training, defence industry collaboration and enhanced institutional cooperation between the Armed Forces of India and Fiji.

India reiterated the importance accorded to Fiji and the Pacific Island Countries in its vision of a free, open, inclusive and secure Indo-Pacific. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the growing bilateral defence engagements and reaffirmed their commitment to further expanding cooperation in mutually beneficial areas. 

The meeting was co-chaired by Shri Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation), Ministry of Defence and Mr. Mason Smith, Permanent Secretary for Defence & Veterans Affairs, Fiji. Mr. Smith also met Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh on the sidelines of the 2nd India–Fiji Bilateral Joint Working Group Meeting. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral defence and maritime cooperation, including opportunities for greater defence industry collaboration.

As part of efforts to expand specialised military training cooperation, the Fijian delegation is scheduled to visit Kochi on 29–30 September 2026. The delegation will inspect facilities at the Southern Naval Command to formalise advanced naval training cooperation and professional aviation training modules, enhancing technical proficiency and operational synergy between the two maritime forces.

Prior to the commencement of the official bilateral talks, Mr. Smith paid solemn tribute to India’s fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial, New Delhi. The Fijian delegation also visited the DPSU Bhavan at the World Trade Centre, New Delhi, where it was briefed on India’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities. The visit highlighted advancements under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, with a focus on exhibition displays and advanced Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR) simulation facilities that replicate real-world battlefield conditions.

India and Fiji share close and friendly relations, underpinned by historical, cultural and people-to-people ties. The meeting provided an opportunity to consolidate the existing defence partnership and identify new avenues for cooperation. Both sides agreed to maintain regular engagements and work towards further deepening bilateral defence cooperation.