SINGAPORE, May 29, 2026 – Malaysian Defence Minister Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin held bilateral talks with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the 2026 Shangri-La Dialogue, emphasising strengthened defence cooperation while reaffirming Malaysia’s longstanding neutral foreign policy.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Khaled Nordin described the meeting as constructive, covering key areas including maritime cooperation, capacity building, peacekeeping operations, and defence industry development. The two leaders also explored Malaysia’s potential participation in the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR) to support the modernisation of the Malaysian Armed Forces.
“Malaysia appreciates its good relations with the United States while continuing to uphold a policy of neutrality and friendship with all countries,” Khaled said. “Neutrality is not a zero-sum game. We are friends to all.”
The US side expressed appreciation for Malaysia’s role in regional peace efforts, particularly in relation to the Thailand-Cambodia conflict, and openness to expanding support for maritime and air domain awareness, including assistance for existing Malaysian assets and operations.
A key agenda item was Malaysia’s request for US assistance following Norway’s cancellation of Naval Strike Missile (NSM) exports. Khaled raised the issue, and Hegseth assured that the US would review possible solutions to address Malaysia’s defence modernisation needs.
The NSM contract, signed in 2018 with Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace for Malaysia’s Maharaja Lela-class littoral combat ships, was abruptly cancelled earlier this month due to new Norwegian arms export restrictions on sensitive technologies. Malaysia has protested the move, noting that substantial payments had already been made.
The meeting took place as part of the high-level IISS Shangri-La Dialogue 2026 in Singapore, which gathers defence ministers and security experts to discuss regional strategic issues. Khaled is leading the Malaysian delegation to the forum.
This engagement underscores Malaysia’s balanced approach in navigating great-power dynamics in the Indo-Pacific, deepening practical cooperation with the US without compromising its non-aligned stance.
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