TANAH JAMBU, Monday, 12 October 2026 – The Defence Academy of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (DA RBAF) received a delegation comprising 17 course participants from the Higher Defence Management Course (HDMC), College of Defence Management (CDM), Republic of India, as part of their five-day study tour to Brunei Darussalam. The delegation was headed by Colonel Saurabh Vats, Senior Directing Staff.
The programme began with a courtesy call on the Commandant of DA RBAF, during which both parties exchanged views on matters of mutual interest, particularly in the areas of professional military education and defence cooperation. The engagement provided an opportunity to reaffirm the longstanding defence relationship between Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of India, while encouraging greater institutional collaboration and knowledge exchange. The courtesy call concluded with an exchange of mementos as a gesture of goodwill and appreciation between both institutions.
Following the courtesy call, the delegation attended a series of briefings delivered by Major (U) Haji Ilhamdi bin Haji Md Dali, SO1 Intelligence, Directorate of Intelligence; Haji Md Abd Aziz bin Haji Yaakub, Senior Research Officer, Directorate of Defence Policy; and Md Umair Akhmal bin Haji Noor Afisan, Acting Senior Research Officer, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies.
The briefings provided insights into the organisational structures of the Ministry of Defence and Royal Brunei Armed Forces, the Defence White Paper Update 2026, highlighting its key messages, strategic guidance and strategic enablers, as well as the regional security outlook. The sessions offered the delegation a broader understanding of Brunei Darussalam’s defence policies, strategic priorities and perspectives on contemporary security challenges.
The briefings were followed by an interactive question-and-answer session moderated by Lieutenant Commander Qurratu’aini Qayyimah binti Dr Al-Haj Zelzy, RBN, Academic Advisor DA RBAF. The session provided an opportunity for the delegation to engage with the speakers, exchange perspectives and further explore matters relating to defence policies, strategic developments and regional security issues.
The visit to DA RBAF concluded with a luncheon and a group photograph, symbolising the friendship and continued cooperation between the two institutions.
As part of their five-day programme in Brunei Darussalam, the delegation, led by His Excellency Ramu Abbagani, High Commissioner of the Republic of India to Brunei Darussalam, paid a courtesy call on the Commander of the Royal Brunei Navy, First Admiral Sahibul Bahari bin Haji Zainal Abidin. The courtesy call was followed by a ship visit to KDB Daruttaqwa, providing an opportunity to gain insights into the Royal Brunei Navy’s operational capabilities and further strengthen bilateral defence relations between Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of India.
The delegation also attended a series of briefings by representatives from Brunei Vision 2035, the Petroleum Authority of Brunei Darussalam, the Maritime National Coordination Centre, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Brunei Shell Petroleum. These engagements aimed to enhance the participants’ understanding of Brunei Darussalam’s national development strategies, economic diversification efforts, energy sector, foreign policy and maritime security, while providing valuable perspectives on the country’s strategic priorities and governance.
