US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addressed the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, crediting President Donald Trump with helping broker peace between India and Pakistan.

He highlighted the understanding reached between the two nuclear-armed neighbours following their military confrontation last year, praising Trump’s role in easing tensions.

Hegseth remarked that the president’s ability to bring the two sides together was instrumental in achieving peace, though India has consistently rejected claims of third-party mediation, maintaining that the understanding was reached directly between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Trump has repeatedly asserted that he played a decisive role in securing peace after the four-day conflict triggered by the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives. India, however, has emphasised that the resolution was achieved bilaterally without external intervention. 

Hegseth acknowledged that both India and Pakistan would continue to view each other through the lens of security concerns, noting that while both nations may pursue advanced capabilities such as intercontinental ballistic missiles, Washington does not currently consider either country a direct threat.

In his remarks, Hegseth praised both India and Pakistan for their contributions to international stability, stating that each had provided benefits to peace in their respective spheres.

Hegseth underscored its growing military and industrial capabilities, describing the country as an increasingly vital security partner in the Indo-Pacific.

He highlighted India’s modernisation of its armed forces and its efforts to maintain a balance of power in the Indian Ocean region. He also noted India’s progress in building industrial and logistics capacity to sustain high-end military operations, and confirmed that Washington is committed to pursuing co-production initiatives with India to enhance capabilities.

Hegseth’s remarks on India were framed within Washington’s broader Indo-Pacific strategy, which he said aims to preserve regional stability and prevent any single power from dominating. He emphasised the need for a stable equilibrium that benefits both Americans and their allies, making clear that the United States seeks a durable balance of power in which no state, including China, can impose hegemony or threaten the security and prosperity of others.

He stressed that the Indo-Pacific remains central to US security and prosperity, reassuring regional partners of Washington’s commitment despite challenges elsewhere, including in West Asia. Hegseth also renewed calls for greater burden-sharing among allies, declaring that the era of the United States subsidising the defence of wealthy nations is over. He insisted that Washington seeks alliances based on shared responsibility rather than dependency.

The US secretary reaffirmed America’s intention to strengthen military capabilities and cooperation with allies to preserve regional stability.

He highlighted defence commitments undertaken by several Indo-Pacific partners, including India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. At the same time, he clarified that Washington is not seeking confrontation with Beijing, despite concerns over China’s military build-up.

The Shangri-La Dialogue, organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, remains Asia’s premier security forum, bringing together defence ministers, military leaders and security officials from across the globe to deliberate on pressing strategic and security challenges.

Hegseth’s address underscored both the enduring importance of India in Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy and the evolving role of Pakistan in regional diplomacy.

Agencies