New Delhi, May 30 -- US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth praised India and several key Asian partners for strengthening their military capabilities on Saturday, as he outlined Washington's vision for a more balanced security architecture in the Indo-Pacific and delivered a pointed warning to China over its growing regional ambitions.

Speaking at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth said the United States was committed to preserving stability across the Asia-Pacific while encouraging allies and partners to assume greater responsibility for their own defence.

His remarks underscored a broader shift in US strategic thinking under President Donald Trump, with Washington increasingl...