World News | India, Brunei Hold Inaugural Joint Working Group Meeting to Boost Defence Cooperation
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. India and Brunei held the inaugural meeting of their Joint Working Group on Defence Cooperation in New Delhi, discussing military exchanges, maritime security, HADR, capacity building and industry collaboration. Both sides signed the ToR and agreed to deepen defence ties and pursue a structured roadmap under the JWG framework.
New Delhi [India], December 10 (ANI): 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.
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The discussions laid the foundation for a more structured defence partnership. 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.
According to the Ministry, the signing of the ToR marks the start of a coordinated and institutionalised phase of defence engagement.
The JWG will function as the official platform to assess ongoing initiatives and identify new areas of collaboration.
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.
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.
She later visited the newly inaugurated DPSU Bhawan, a central facility showcasing the capabilities of all 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings and aimed at strengthening collaboration and innovation in India's defence manufacturing ecosystem. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)