India has reaffirmed its strategic commitment to strengthening multilateral and bilateral defence partnerships across the Indo-Pacific by actively participating in the annual Chiefs of Defence (CHODs) Conference 2025, held from August 26 to August 28 in Thailand.

Representing India, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC, HQ IDS), engaged in a series of important discussions with senior defence officials from Vietnam, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States, highlighting New Delhi’s proactive approach to regional and global security cooperation.

On the sidelines of the multilateral conference, Air Marshal Dixit held wide-ranging meetings with Lieutenant General Thai Dai Ngoc, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army; Vice Admiral Kang Dong Gil, from the Republic of Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff; and General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, Chief of the Naval Staff of the Royal Navy, United Kingdom.

The core themes of these interactions included enhancing defence cooperation, advancing maritime collaboration, fostering professional military exchanges, and exploring new domains of military and technological partnership, particularly in areas such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).

These engagements underscored the collective resolve of the participating nations to deepen mutual trust, expand interoperability, and contribute meaningfully towards the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.

Complementing these multilateral engagements, Air Marshal Dixit also held a significant bilateral discussion with Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM). The bilateral dialogue focused on strengthening operational cooperation, identifying joint initiatives, and exploring new opportunities for cooperation in maintaining security in the Indo-Pacific.

The meeting between the two leaders, marked by a symbolic handshake against the backdrop of the national and INDOPACOM flags, highlighted the growing depth of India–U.S. military relations and their shared interest in working together to address regional challenges.

The HQ IDS emphasised that the discussions underscored the mutual resolve of India and the U.S. to enhance defence cooperation, building strategic confidence and operational readiness to address evolving security dynamics.

The CHODs Conference, co-hosted this year by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and the Royal Thai Armed Forces, provided a premier platform for dialogue among chiefs of defence from across the Indo-Pacific region.

The 2025 edition focused on pressing issues such as maritime security, counter-terrorism, cyber resilience, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief operations, and the collective pursuit of a stable rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.

Air Marshal Dixit’s active participation in these sessions reflected India’s growing role as a responsible security partner in addressing shared security concerns through joint preparedness, operational interoperability, and enhanced strategic partnerships.

According to India’s Ministry of Defence, the conference serves as an essential multilateral forum where attendees deliberate upon the evolving regional and global security challenges, while exploring frameworks to cooperate in building collective resilience against traditional and non-traditional threats.

In this context, India’s engagements in Thailand were seen as a powerful reaffirmation of the country’s enduring commitment to strengthening strategic dialogue, fostering defence diplomacy, and proactively supporting peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

In conclusion, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit’s series of high-level engagements during CHODs 2025 demonstrated India’s growing diplomatic outreach and its firm resolve to reinforce strategic partnerships with both regional neighbours and global partners.

The focus on multilateral collaboration, maritime security, HADR cooperation, and technological exchanges reflects a forward-looking agenda that aligns with India’s long-term vision for an inclusive, stable, and secure Indo-Pacific. This proactive diplomatic outreach not only advances India’s national security interests but also strengthens its status as a key security player in the wider Indo-Pacific strategic landscape.

Based On ANI Report