Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shared a photograph with Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, accompanying it with the message, “JAI: (Japan, Australia & India)!”
The post highlights the engagement between the three countries’ defence leaders amid ongoing discussions on regional security and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
Singh is in Cebu, the Philippines, to attend the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), held on October 28 and 29, 2026. The meeting provides a platform for ASEAN member states and their dialogue partners, including India, Japan and Australia, to discuss defence cooperation and regional security challenges.
On October 28, Singh held bilateral talks with Koizumi on the sidelines of the meeting. According to the Indian Ministry of Defence, the discussions focused on reviewing ongoing defence cooperation and exploring new avenues to strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
In a tweet following the meeting, Singh wrote, “Had productive discussions on reviewing our ongoing bilateral defence cooperation and exploring new avenues to further strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Our shared commitment remains vital for a free, open, and peaceful Indo-Pacific region.”
India and Japan have also been discussing closer maritime security cooperation, collaboration in defence technology and opportunities for joint naval shipbuilding and design. Both sides have expressed interest in strengthening cooperation between their air forces and advancing defence industry partnerships.
Singh also met Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles during his engagements in Cebu, and invited him to Aero India 2027, to be held in Bengaluru. Their discussions covered bilateral defence cooperation, military interoperability and regional security challenges. India and Australia have been working to expand defence industry collaboration and maritime cooperation, with both countries emphasising the importance of a free, open and peaceful Indo-Pacific.
The meetings took place alongside the wider ADMM-Plus gathering, which brings together ASEAN members and eight dialogue partners: India, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.
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