New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday described the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a central pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific strategy.
Interacting with visiting Navy chiefs and naval delegations from nine ASEAN member states in Visakhapatnam, the minister said that shared security forms the foundation of regional prosperity.
Singh was speaking on the sidelines of the MILAN 2026 naval exercise, currently underway in Visakhapatnam, according to an official statement.
He added that ASEAN partners could benefit from India’s fully developed defence technology ecosystem, strengthened under the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
The minister also praised the indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and the Visakhapatnam-class destroyer as symbols of India’s transformation into a “Builder’s Navy.”
He lauded the strong participation of ASEAN navies in MILAN 2026, highlighting the exercise’s remarkable growth since its inception in 1995 with just four foreign navies. The February 2026 edition has become the largest-ever, bringing together representatives from 74 nations and underscoring India’s expanding maritime engagement in the Indo-Pacific.
He stressed the significance of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium – Conclave of Chiefs and the International Fleet Review 2026 in strengthening mutual trust and deepening operational coordination among Indo-Pacific partners.
The deliberations also reviewed the ongoing Sea Phase of MILAN 2026, which features advanced maritime drills such as anti-submarine warfare, air defence manoeuvres, and coordinated search-and-rescue operations, aimed at boosting collective maritime security and preparedness.
Echoing the sentiments expressed during the India-ASEAN informal meeting in late 2025, ASEAN delegates appreciated India’s consistent role as a first responder in the region during times of crisis.
Rajnath also suggested broadening cooperation through more frequent joint engagements, particularly under the ASEAN-India Defence Think-Tank Interaction. He emphasised the need to involve younger naval officers in collaborative initiatives, saying such efforts would help build stronger ties and ensure long-term maritime stability in the Indo-Pacific.
