Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday described the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) as an essential component of India’s ‘Act East Policy’ and a key element of its broader Indo-Pacific vision.
He emphasised that the platform has evolved into a dynamic framework for regional peace, stability, and practical defence cooperation.
Addressing the 12th ADMM-Plus forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Defence Minister highlighted that the elevation of the ASEAN-India partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022 symbolised both the political maturity of their relationship and the deep convergence of regional priorities.
“For India, the ADMM-Plus is an integral part of its ‘Act East Policy’ and broader Indo-Pacific vision. While India’s engagement with ASEAN predates this, this mechanism has provided a structured platform for defence cooperation, further strengthening our diplomatic and economic aspects,” Singh said in his address.
He added, “In 2022, when the ASEAN-India partnership was elevated to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership status, it was not only a symbol of political maturity but also a testament to the deep convergence in regional priorities.”
Singh recalled that India’s engagement with Southeast Asia began under the ‘Look East Policy’ introduced in 1992, which primarily focused on economic ties.
He said that with evolving global dynamics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi infused new vigour into India’s foreign policy in 2014, transforming the Look East Policy into the more action-oriented ‘Act East Policy’ (AEP), aimed at achieving concrete outcomes through decisive engagement.
Speaking on the theme “Reflection on 15 years of ADMM-Plus and Charting the Way Forward,” the Defence Minister outlined India’s active participation in several Experts’ Working Groups, its role in hosting field exercises, and contributions towards developing common operational standards.
He said the ADMM-Plus has enabled India to align its initiatives with ASEAN’s strategic outlook, ensuring that India’s engagements remain “complementary, not competitive.”
“India sees its role in defence cooperation with ASEAN and other countries as contributing to regional peace, stability, and capacity development,” Singh said.
Reflecting on the forum’s evolution since its inception in 2010, the Defence Minister stated, “Over the past decade and a half, this forum has continuously evolved. Beyond being a dialogue platform, it has now become a dynamic framework for practical defence cooperation.”
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He also highlighted the importance of Malaysia’s 2025 Chairmanship theme for the ASEAN Summit, “Inclusivity and Sustainability.”
He said, “Inclusivity in security means that all countries, regardless of their size or capacity, become equal partners in building regional order and benefit from it. Sustainability means creating security architectures that are resilient to shocks, adapt to new challenges, and are based on long-term cooperation rather than short-term alignment.”
The ADMM serves as the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The ADMM-Plus, which includes ASEAN member states such as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam, along with eight Dialogue Partners India, the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand – aims to strengthen security and defence cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.
India became a Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in 1992, and the inaugural ADMM-Plus meeting was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, in October 2010. Since 2017, the ADMM-Plus has been held annually to enhance cooperation and coordination among ASEAN and its partner countries.
Under the current ADMM-Plus framework, India serves as the co-chair of the Experts Working Group on Counter-Terrorism alongside Malaysia for the 2024–2027 cycle, reflecting India’s continued commitment to regional security collaboration and capacity-building initiatives.
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