Kuala Lumpur: United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrived in Malaysia to attend a high-level meeting with Southeast Asian defense ministers, marking a renewed effort by Washington to strengthen military and diplomatic ties across the region amid growing Chinese influence.

The talks, held under the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting framework, brought together representatives from Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Russia, China, and other nations. Hegseth’s visit to Kuala Lumpur is part of a wider Asia tour that includes stops in Japan, Vietnam, and South Korea, signaling Washington’s deeper commitment to the Indo Pacific region.

During his bilateral meetings, Hegseth discussed with India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh a new United States and India defense coopera

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