♦ India and Brunei held the inaugural meeting of their Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence Cooperation in New Delhi on 9 December 2025, 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.