India’s defence export drive gained fresh momentum after Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh confirmed that New Delhi has signed a BrahMos missile agreement with Vietnam and is in the final stages of concluding a similar deal with Indonesia.
The announcement was made at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, widely regarded as Asia’s premier security forum, where defence ministers, senior military officials and strategic experts gathered to assess shifting regional and global security dynamics.
The development marks a significant step in India’s efforts to position itself as a reliable defence supplier in the Indo-Pacific. The BrahMos missile system, jointly developed by India and Russia, has increasingly become a key export platform for New Delhi, drawing interest from countries seeking to strengthen their maritime and deterrence capabilities.
Alongside this breakthrough, Singh held a series of bilateral meetings with senior officials from Australia, the European Union, the Netherlands and Canada, reflecting India’s widening defence and diplomatic outreach across multiple strategic theatres.
Australia Engagement Focuses on Strategic Continuity
Singh met Australian Defence Secretary Meghan Quinn to review progress under the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The two sides discussed forthcoming high-level engagements and explored new avenues to deepen defence cooperation in areas of shared interest.
Defence ties between India and Australia have strengthened steadily in recent years, driven by a shared focus on stability in the Indo-Pacific, a region that carries nearly 60 per cent of global maritime trade and remains central to both countries’ strategic calculations.
Europe Dialogue Advances Security Cooperation
The Defence Secretary also held meetings with Belen Martínez Carbonell, Secretary General of the European External Action Service, and Lieutenant General Enrico Barduani, Deputy Chair of the European Union Military Committee.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the discussions advanced strategic dialogue between India and the European Union, focusing on shared security concerns and expanding cooperation in defence and strategic domains. The engagement reflects the growing convergence between India and the EU on maritime security and Indo-Pacific developments.
In a separate interaction, Singh met Netherlands Defence Minister Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius. The discussions centred on strengthening military-to-military ties, expanding defence cooperation and exploring opportunities for industrial collaboration between the two countries’ defence sectors.
Canada and Memorial Tribute Mark Wider Engagement
On the sidelines of the summit, Singh also held discussions with Canada’s Senior Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence, Kelvin Brosseau. Both sides explored ways to deepen defence cooperation and expand collaboration across key operational and strategic areas.
Earlier, the Defence Secretary paid tribute at Singapore’s Kranji War Memorial, laying a wreath in honour of soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the World Wars. The Ministry of Defence described the gesture as a reflection of the enduring historical ties between India and Singapore.
BrahMos Deal Emerges as Key Strategic Signal
While the bilateral engagements highlighted India’s widening diplomatic outreach, the BrahMos announcement stood out as the most consequential development of the day.
With a signed agreement in place with Vietnam and negotiations with Indonesia nearing completion, India’s defence exports continue to gain traction in Southeast Asia. The developments underline New Delhi’s steady push to translate its growing strategic influence into tangible defence partnerships across the Indo-Pacific, as regional security dynamics continue to evolve.
