Defense spending, China in Asia and lessons from Ukraine: Takeways from the 2026 IISS Shangri-La Dialogue
SINGAPORE – The 2026 IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier defense summit, convened in Singapore from May 29 to May 31, bringing together defense leaders, top diplomats, and security officials from around the world. Hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the event focused on critical security challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region.
A central theme of the dialogue was China's rapid military modernization and its increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, according to NPR. These developments were identified as key concerns for the international attendees. The summit also addressed the near-term outlook for defense spending across Asia, a topic specifically assessed on May 30, as noted by IISS.org.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Asian allies to increase their military expenditures. WKYUFM.org reported that Hegseth urged these nations to boost military spending to counter what he termed China's "historic military" expansion. Hegseth, making his second appearance at the annual dialogue, delivered remarks on Saturday's session outlining the Trump administration's Indo-Pacific strategy.
The summit also highlighted growing doubts regarding American strategic priorities, NPR reported. These concerns were among the top issues discussed during the three-day event. On the sidelines, Vietnamese leader To Lam, who delivered the conference's opening keynote address on Friday, was expected to meet with Secretary Hegseth.
Secretary Hegseth's previous remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore were also recalled. Last year, he had stated that "the threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent," and that China's military was "rehearsing for the real deal," according to NPR.
Beyond regional security, the dialogue took place amidst broader geopolitical tensions. NPR noted that the Middle East remained on edge, with new attacks threatening a fragile ceasefire in the Iran war, adding another layer of complexity to global security discussions. The gathering served as a platform for international leaders to address these multifaceted challenges and assess the evolving security landscape.