DCC Signs Terms of Reference at Shangri-La

SINGAPORE - The Australian Defence Force, the Japan Self-Defense Forces, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command convened for a Defense Cooperation Council meeting on the sidelines of the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, May 29, 2026.

During the meeting Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Gen. Romeo Brawner, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Adm. David Johnston AC RAN, Chief of the Defence Force, Australia, and Gen. Uchikura Hiroaki, Chief of Staff, Japan Joint Staff, signed terms of reference related to the multilateral defense cooperation framework.

The framework paves the way for a robust information sharing network in the Indo-Pacific region; a regularized schedule of multilateral maritime activities to sustain persistent, deterrence-reinforcing presence throughout the region; an active strategic communication cell to coordinate messaging with speed and coherence; and accelerated interoperability across planning, logistics, and sustainment to ensure our cooperative activities.

Underpinned by decades of alliance commitments, bilateral frameworks, and Bilateral/Multilateral operations, this framework reflects a shared determination - among four like-minded countries that have trained together, operated together, and stood together - in pursuit of maintaining and advancing peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

USINDOPACOM is committed to enhancing stability in the Indo-Pacific region by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression and, when necessary, prevailing in conflict.