India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has reaffirmed the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in India’s Act East Policy, calling for stronger defence cooperation and mutual trust across the Indo-Pacific region, Firstpost reported.
Speaking at the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu, the Philippines, Singh said the forum was important for maintaining a secure, resilient and prosperous region.
“India remains committed to ASEAN centrality, which is the foundation of our Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific vision,” Singh said, ANI reported in a statement on Thursday.
The aim of the meeting is to foster mutual confidence, cope with any new disturbances and promote defence relations of the participating states, he added.
Singh also thanked the Philippines for holding the meeting and said defence ministers were exchanging ideas on their common security challenges.
As an ASEAN initiative, the ADMM-Plus comprises the 11 ASEAN nations and eight dialogue partners, which are India, the US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
India will co-chair the forum’s counter-terrorism experts working group with Malaysia for the 2024-27 cycle.
Since the Philippines is leading the 2026 meeting, it’s also an opportunity for countries involved to have a say in regional security issues and solidify strategic partnerships.
