Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III will be embarking on a trip to India, the Republic of Korea (ROK), and Indonesia. This will be his ninth official visit to the Indo-Pacific region.
In India, Secretary Austin will meet with his counterpart, Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh, to discuss various defense-related matters. They will focus on expanding defense industrial cooperation, enhancing interoperability, and advancing innovation through the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X). The two ministers will also participate in the fifth 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, joined by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar. Additionally, Secretaries Blinken and Austin will have a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Following his visit to India, Secretary Austin will travel to the Republic of Korea. There, he will meet with Minister of National Defense Shin Wonsik and other senior ROK leaders. This includes attending the 55th annual Security Consultative Meeting and the inaugural ROK-UN Command Member States Defense Ministerial Meeting. The Secretary will also interact with U.S. military commanders and service members stationed on the Korean Peninsula. His intention is to reiterate the United States’ unwavering commitment to extended deterrence for the ROK.
In Seoul, Secretary Austin will pay tribute to veterans on Veterans Day. He will meet with soldiers who have played a vital role in maintaining peace and security in the region for many years.
The final destination of Secretary Austin’s trip will be Indonesia, where he will attend the 10th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus. In Jakarta, he plans to hold an ASEAN-United States Informal Meeting. The focus will be on exploring opportunities to expand security cooperation between ASEAN and the United States. This meeting takes place one year after the elevation of the ASEAN-U.S. relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Secretary Austin will also hold discussions with regional counterparts to demonstrate the deep commitment of the United States to working alongside allies and partners in the pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
This will be Secretary Austin’s fourth trip to the Indo-Pacific region this year and his ninth since assuming the role of Secretary of Defense. The trip aligns with the United States’ ongoing efforts, in collaboration with its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, to establish a shared regional vision focused on peace, stability, and prosperity.