The Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD), officially the IISS Asia Security Summit, is an annual inter-governmental security conference and a key multilateral security cooperation mechanism in the Asia-Pacific region. It is a "Track One" diplomatic initiative, meaning it involves government officials, but is coordinated by a "Track Two" organization, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a UK-based independent think tank. The dialogue was first held in 2002 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, from which it derives its common name.
The SLD was conceived in 2001 by IISS Director-General Sir John Chipman to address the lack of a dedicated forum for Asia-Pacific defense ministers to meet and build confidence, especially following the September 11 incident and the rise of complex security issues. It was modeled after the Munich Security Conference but aimed to be a "Track One" mechanism for defense ministers. The dialogue is co-organized by the IISS and Singapore's Ministry of Defence.
The mechanism operates through a format that includes an opening keynote address, on-the-record plenary sessions with defense ministers, and on-the-record breakout sessions for senior officials and security practitioners. A crucial function is providing a venue for unpublicized bilateral and multilateral meetings among defense ministers, military chiefs, and top defense officials to advance defense diplomacy privately. The agenda covers a broad range of traditional and non-traditional security issues, such as territorial disputes, military cooperation, terrorism, and cybersecurity.
The SLD is closely connected to the broader regional security architecture, serving as a high-level platform for defense exchanges that complements other regional bodies like the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which is led by foreign ministers. India regularly participates at a high level, often represented by the Defence Minister or Defence Secretary, and India's flagship Raisina Dialogue is modeled on the SLD. Recent dialogues, such as the 23rd SLD in 2026, have focused on issues like strategic competition between major powers, maritime security, and the need to strengthen trust and cooperation. The dialogue's core structure and function as Asia's premier defense summit have remained consistent since its inception.