Rajnath Singh reaffirms India’s commitment to a free and inclusive Indo-Pacific at ADMM-Plus
New Delhi, November 1. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has reaffirmed India’s commitment to upholding international law and promoting a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific, saying the country’s advocacy for freedom of navigation and overflight under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is aimed at protecting the collective interests of all regional stakeholders, not directed against any specific nation.
Speaking at the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur on November 1, Singh addressed the plenary session on ‘Reflection on 15 Years of ADMM-Plus and Charting a Way Forward’. He emphasised that India’s strategic engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is principle-driven and long-term, based on a shared belief that the Indo-Pacific must remain open, inclusive, and free from coercion.
Commending Malaysia’s theme of “Inclusivity and Sustainability” as chair of ADMM-Plus, Singh said inclusivity in security meant that every nation, regardless of size or capability, should have a voice in shaping the regional order and reaping its benefits. Sustainability, he explained, involved building resilient and adaptive regional security structures founded on long-term cooperation rather than short-term alignments.
“For India, these principles resonate deeply with our strategic outlook,” he said. “Our security vision for the Indo-Pacific integrates defence cooperation with economic development, technology sharing, and human resource advancement. The interlinkages between security, growth, and sustainability define India’s approach to partnership with ASEAN.”
Describing ADMM-Plus as a key pillar of India’s Act East Policy and its broader Indo-Pacific vision, the Defence Minister said India views defence cooperation with ASEAN and partner countries as a contribution to regional peace, stability, and capacity building.
“As ADMM-Plus enters its 16th year, India stands ready to deepen cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, to promote dialogue over discord and to strengthen mechanisms that ensure peace and stability,” Singh said. “The experience of the past 15 years shows that inclusive cooperation works, regional ownership builds legitimacy, and collective security strengthens individual sovereignty.”
He added that India would continue to engage constructively with regional partners through dialogue and practical cooperation, guided by the spirit of “Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR)”.
Singh noted that India’s engagement with ASEAN predates the ADMM-Plus framework but has been reinforced by it, providing a structured defence platform that complements diplomatic and economic ties. The elevation of ASEAN-India relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022, he said, reflected the growing maturity and alignment of regional priorities.
Highlighting India’s active participation since the inception of ADMM-Plus, Singh pointed out that New Delhi has co-chaired several Expert Working Groups (EWGs): on Humanitarian Mine Action with Vietnam (2014-2017), Military Medicine with Myanmar (2017-2020), Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief with Indonesia (2020-2024), and currently, Counter-Terrorism with Malaysia (2024-2027).
He also underlined India’s contribution to field exercises, capacity-building initiatives, and the creation of shared operational standards under the ADMM-Plus framework.
“The mechanism has helped align India’s initiatives with ASEAN’s strategic outlook, ensuring that our engagements reinforce rather than compete with ASEAN-led mechanisms,” Singh said.
The ADMM-Plus brings together defence ministers from ASEAN member states and eight dialogue partners – Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the United States – to strengthen security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
