Rajnath Singh pitches India’s counter-terrorism expertise, maritime security cooperation at ADMM-Plus
By Aroonim Bhuyan
New Delhi. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on October 29 reaffirmed India’s commitment to combating terrorism and strengthening collective regional security, offering to share the country’s operational experience in counter-terrorism with its partners under the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) framework.
Addressing the 13th ADMM-Plus in Cebu, Singh said India’s counter-terrorism capabilities had been shaped by decades of confronting complex security threats, including cross-border terrorism. He emphasised that the country’s approach was based on practical experience rather than theoretical understanding, with its strategies tested and refined through real-world operations.
Singh cited Operation Sindoor as an example of India’s resolve to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and establish a firm red line against state-sponsored terrorism. He said India remained prepared to share its operational expertise with ADMM-Plus partners through joint military exercises, capacity-building programmes and enhanced intelligence sharing.
Describing terrorism as a threat that transcended national boundaries, the defence minister stressed the importance of coordinated regional action. He also highlighted counter-terrorism as a key area of cooperation under the ADMM-Plus mechanism, noting that India and Malaysia were jointly chairing the Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism for the 2024–2027 cycle.
India reiterates commitment to ASEAN centrality
Singh reaffirmed New Delhi’s support for ASEAN centrality and its vision of a secure, open, inclusive, resilient and rules-based Indo-Pacific. He said India’s engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was a long-term strategic commitment founded on shared interests, mutual respect and practical cooperation.
Recalling the second ASEAN-India Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting held in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025, he said the meeting had reinforced the commitment to advancing the defence and security dimensions of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and implementing the ASEAN-India Plan of Action for 2026–2030.
The defence minister said the theme of the 13th ADMM-Plus, ‘Navigating Our Future, Together’, was consistent with India’s foreign and defence policy priorities and its civilisational philosophy of ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah’ (May all beings be happy).
He said the theme underscored the importance of solidarity and the collective ability of countries to draw strength from their geographical, economic and strategic diversity.
“India believes in an international system built on mutual trust, cooperation and collective responsibility,” Singh said, adding that such a collaborative approach was essential to overcoming challenges to regional peace and stability.
Maritime cooperation takes centre stage
Highlighting maritime security as a major pillar of India’s engagement with ASEAN, Singh pointed to the designation of 2026 as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation and the conduct of the second ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise.
He said India’s commitment to international maritime law was demonstrated through sustained operational deployments and efforts to protect commercial shipping. The Indian Navy, he noted, had maintained an uninterrupted operational presence in volatile maritime corridors, including the Gulf of Aden, since 2008.
According to Singh, Indian naval forces had escorted thousands of merchant vessels and thwarted numerous hijacking attempts on the high seas, providing protection to commercial shipping regardless of the vessels’ flags or nationalities.
He described the protection of merchant shipping as a responsibility India took seriously, particularly at a time when global trade routes faced increasingly complex transnational threats.
“India stands ready to move beyond rhetoric. There is a need for effective action, regular operational presence and international cooperation,” he said, reiterating New Delhi’s commitment to serving as a reliable net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region and the wider Indo-Pacific.
Singh stressed that the safety of maritime trade routes was closely linked to regional security and economic prosperity. He said India’s advocacy of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight was intended to protect the common interests of countries dependent on open sea lanes and stable maritime governance, rather than target any particular nation.
He also underlined the importance of cooperation in maritime safety, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance, professional exchanges and capacity building. India, he said, was ready to work with ASEAN partners to strengthen collaboration across these areas.
Defence ‘Youth Bridge’ proposed
Singh also called for greater youth engagement in regional defence and security cooperation, arguing that the demographic profile and aspirations of India and ASEAN’s young populations offered considerable scope for a deeper partnership.
He proposed establishing a dedicated defence ‘Youth Bridge’ to strengthen institutional and people-to-people links, encourage digital innovation and facilitate capacity building in alignment with ADMM-Plus initiatives.
The proposed mechanism, he said, could provide young people with greater opportunities to contribute to regional peace and security while expanding cooperation between India and ASEAN.
Singh linked the proposal to the broader youth, peace and security agenda, emphasising that empowering younger generations was essential to building a peaceful, resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
His address placed counter-terrorism, maritime security, regional stability and youth engagement at the centre of India’s approach to defence diplomacy with ASEAN and its dialogue partners, underscoring New Delhi’s preference for practical cooperation and shared responsibility in addressing common security challenges.
