New Delhi, December 10 — India and Brunei held the inaugural meeting of the India-Brunei Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence Cooperation in New Delhi, marking a formal step toward deeper, institutionalised defence collaboration. The talks were co-chaired by Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary in India’s Ministry of Defence, and Poh Kui Choon, Deputy Permanent Secretary in Brunei’s Ministry of Defence.
Before deliberations, both sides signed the Terms of Reference (ToR) that formally establish the JWG as the official platform to review existing efforts and identify new areas for cooperation. The meeting reviewed a wide-ranging agenda including expanded military-to-military exchanges and joint training, strengthened maritime security with a focus on safe sea lanes and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), enhanced capacity-building, and potential defence industry and technology partnerships.
Delegations noted growing momentum in bilateral defence ties and agreed to pursue a structured roadmap under the JWG to deepen collaboration. The outcomes emphasised shared commitment to peace, stability and a rules-based Indo-Pacific.
During her two-day visit, Deputy Permanent Secretary Poh Kui Choon also met India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and toured the newly inaugurated DPSU Bhawan, which showcases the capabilities of the country’s 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings. The JWG is intended to sustain regular, institutional dialogue and advance practical cooperation between the two countries’ defence establishments.
