Shangri-La Dialogue 2025 Kicks Off in Singapore: Major Leaders Gather for Global Security Summit

The 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue commenced in Singapore on Friday, bringing together defense and security leaders from around the world during a period of heightened geopolitical tensions in Asia. The annual summit, widely regarded as the region’s most prominent platform for high-level strategic discussions, is expected to address pressing issues including regional security cooperation, global power dynamics, and economic challenges.

This year’s gathering has drawn an impressive roster of participants: representatives from 47 countries, among them 40 ministerial-level delegates, 20 chiefs of defense forces, more than 20 senior defense officials, and distinguished scholars. Among those attending is a Chinese delegation from the National Defense University of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, underscoring China’s continued engagement in regional dialogue.

French President Emmanuel Macron delivered the summit’s keynote address on Friday night, making a strong case for closer Asia-Europe cooperation. He emphasized that both regions share a vital interest in maintaining the stability and cohesion of the international order, cautioning against developments that could lead to its fragmentation.

United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is slated to take the stage on Saturday, where he will outline Washington’s “new ambitions for Indo-Pacific security.” However, diplomatic observers suggest that Hegseth faces a significant challenge in allaying the concerns of Asian partners, many of whom remain wary of U.S. policy shifts, especially in light of President Donald Trump’s previous trade policies and broader approach to the region.

Adding further weight to the event, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to speak on Saturday in his capacity as chair of ASEAN. He is expected to articulate Malaysia’s vision for providing strategic leadership amid intensifying global uncertainties and sharpening geo-economic divides. The presence of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas will also contribute European perspectives to the debates unfolding at the summit.

According to experts, this year's summit will closely examine topics such as regional cooperation mechanisms, the evolving security posture of the United States in the Indo-Pacific, and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. There is also widespread expectation that recent sweeping U.S. tariffs will provoke robust discussion, with delegations seeking to reassure partners and adapt their strategies to the realities of an increasingly multipolar world.

The Shangri-La Dialogue continues through Sunday, with an agenda packed with panel discussions, bilateral meetings, and networking events—elements that have made it a cornerstone event for diplomats, defense leaders, and policy-makers across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.