India and Brunei hold inaugural Joint Working Group meeting on Defence Cooperation on Dec 10 2025

Key facts

• The inaugural meeting of the India-Brunei Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence Cooperation was held in New Delhi, marking a key step in advancing defence engagement between the two countries.
• The Ministry of Defence said the talks centred on expanding military-to-military exchanges and joint training, strengthening maritime security cooperation with a focus on sea lane safety and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), enhancing capacity-building initiatives, and identifying opportunities for industry partnerships and technology cooperation.
• The meeting was co-chaired by Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, and Poh Kui Choon, Deputy Permanent Secretary in Brunei's Ministry of Defence.
• Before the deliberations began, both sides signed the Terms of Reference (ToR), formally establishing the JWG on Defence Cooperation.
• During her two-day visit, Choon also met Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi, adding a diplomatic dimension to the technical discussions held under the JWG.
• Both delegations noted the increasing momentum in defence cooperation and agreed to pursue a structured roadmap under the JWG mechanism.
• They also reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace, stability and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.