The Indian Navy and Royal Malaysian Navy held the 10th edition of their Navy-to-Navy Staff Talks on June 10 in Kuala Lumpur, aimed at enhancing maritime cooperation and planning future engagements. Rear Admiral Shantanu Jha, NM, led the Indian delegation, while the Royal Malaysian Navy was represented by First Admiral Harisundar Rajoo, Senior Director of Operations and Training.
The discussions focused on ongoing naval collaboration and laid the groundwork for expanded joint initiatives, reflecting both nations’ shared commitment to maintaining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region. The dialogue is a part of India’s broader efforts to deepen maritime and strategic ties with Southeast Asian nations.
Parallel to the naval talks, India’s Secretary (East) P. Kumaran engaged in a series of high-level diplomatic meetings on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit Senior Officials’ Meeting (EAS SOM) in Penang, Malaysia. He met with Hajah Johariah Binti Abdul Wahab, Permanent Secretary of Brunei’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to explore ways to further strengthen India-Brunei relations and regional cooperation under ASEAN frameworks.
Kumaran also held discussions with Michelle Chan, Deputy Secretary of the South and Southeast Asia Group and Head of the Office of Southeast Asia, Australia, to address bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest. Additionally, he met Ambassador Kung Phoak, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Cambodia, reaffirming India’s commitment to bolstering ties within the ASEAN structure.
The East Asia Summit includes 18 nations comprising the 10 ASEAN countries along with India, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the United States. The Senior Officials’ Meeting plays a vital role in setting the agenda for ministerial and leadership-level summits and fostering multilateral engagement across the Indo-Pacific.
