New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday reaffirmed India’s commitment to regional security and the fight against terrorism, offering to share the country’s practical counter-terrorism experience with ASEAN defence partners through joint exercises, capacity-building programmes and intelligence sharing.
Addressing the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu, the Philippines, Singh said India’s counter-terrorism expertise was built through decades of confronting complex cross-border security challenges rather than theoretical knowledge.
He cited Operation Sindoor as an example of India’s approach, stating that the operation demonstrated the country’s resolve by dismantling terrorist infrastructure and enforcing a firm red line against state-sponsored terrorism.
Singh stressed that terrorism knows no borders and called for stronger collective capabilities to address the threat. He also highlighted India’s role in counter-terrorism cooperation under the ADMM-Plus framework, noting that India and Malaysia are co-chairing the Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism for the 2024-2027 cycle.
India reiterates commitment to ASEAN and Indo-Pacific security
The Defence Minister reaffirmed India’s support for ASEAN centrality and a secure, open, inclusive, resilient and rules-based Indo-Pacific, according to an official statement.
He said India’s strategic engagement with ASEAN was long-term and grounded in shared interests, mutual respect and practical cooperation.
He recalled that the second ASEAN-India Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting, held in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025, reaffirmed the commitment to strengthening the defence and security components of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and implementing the ASEAN-India Plan of Action for 2026-2030.
Referring to the theme of the 13th ADMM-Plus, ‘Navigating Our Future, Together’, Singh said it reflected India’s foreign and defence policy priorities and its civilisational ethos of ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah’, meaning may all beings be happy.
He emphasised that solidarity and the ability to draw on geographic, economic and strategic diversity were essential to addressing challenges to peace and stability. India, he added, supported an international system based on mutual trust, cooperation and collective responsibility.
Maritime cooperation remains a key priority
Highlighting maritime security as a major area of India-ASEAN engagement in 2026, Singh referred to the designation of the year as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation and the conduct of the second ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise.
He underlined India’s commitment to international maritime law, freedom of navigation and the protection of global sea lines of communication. According to Singh, the Indian Navy has maintained an uninterrupted operational presence in volatile maritime corridors, including the Gulf of Aden, since 2008.
He said India had deployed frontline warships to escort thousands of merchant vessels and thwart dozens of hijackings on the high seas, protecting commercial shipping regardless of the vessels’ flags or nationalities.
Describing the security of commercial shipping as a responsibility, Singh said India would continue to support maritime security through operational deployments and international cooperation. He reiterated the country’s commitment to serving as a reliable net security provider in the Indian Ocean
Region and the wider Indo-Pacific
Singh also stressed that maritime security was directly linked to the safety and prosperity of the wider region. He said India’s emphasis on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, freedom of navigation and overflight was intended to protect the shared interests of regional stakeholders rather than target any particular country.
He highlighted other areas for cooperation with ASEAN partners, including maritime safety, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance, professional interaction, capacity building and adherence to international law.
Rajnath Singh proposes defence Youth Bridge
The Defence Minister also called for stronger youth engagement in India-ASEAN defence cooperation, pointing to the shared demographic profile and aspirations of young populations as a foundation for deeper regional partnerships.
He proposed establishing a dedicated defence ‘Youth Bridge’ to strengthen institutional people-to-people connections, encourage digital innovation and facilitate capacity building in line with ADMM-Plus initiatives.
Singh said empowering young people and expanding their opportunities to contribute to regional peace and security were consistent with the theme of ‘Youth, Peace and Security’.
He emphasised that greater youth participation would help build a peaceful, resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific, reinforcing India’s commitment to collective regional security and long-term cooperation with ASEAN partners.
