India and Brunei held the inaugural meeting of their Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence Cooperation in New Delhi on Tuesday, marking a key step forward in strengthening bilateral defence ties.
The discussions focused on expanding military-to-military exchanges, enhancing joint training initiatives, deepening maritime security collaboration, and strengthening cooperation in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR). Both sides also explored opportunities in defence industry partnership, capacity building, and technology cooperation.
The meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Amitabh Prasad, and Brunei’s Deputy Permanent Secretary for Defence, Poh Kui Choon. Ahead of the discussions, the two officials signed the Terms of Reference for establishing the JWG — a move expected to streamline and institutionalise future cooperation.
Defence Ministry said the mechanism will serve as a structured platform to review ongoing engagements and chart new areas of collaboration. Both nations noted the growing momentum in their defence partnership and reiterated their shared commitment to peace, stability, and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.
During her two-day visit, Poh Kui Choon also met Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and visited the newly inaugurated DPSU Bhawan — a modern facility designed to bring together all 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings to enhance coordination, innovation, and showcase India’s defence manufacturing capabilities.
