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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday departed for Kuala Lumpur to participate in the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus), scheduled to be held in Malaysia on November 1.
During his two-day visit, Singh is expected to hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from the participating ADMM-Plus nations and engage with Malaysia's senior leadership to discuss key regional and security issues. ADMM serves as the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The ADMM-Plus framework brings together ASEAN member states -- 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. Together, they aim to strengthen regional security and defence cooperation. India became a Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in 1992, and the inaugural ADMM-Plus was convened in Hanoi, Vietnam, on October 12, 2010. Since 2017, the ADMM-Plus has been held annually to enhance regional collaboration in security and defence matters. Under the current framework, India is co-chairing the Experts' Working Group on Counter Terrorism with Malaysia for the 2024-2027 cycle, reaffirming its active engagement in promoting regional peace and security. The second edition of the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise is also planned for 2026, highlighting India's expanding defence partnership with ASEAN nations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently addressed the ASEAN-India Summit virtually, underscoring collaboration in counter-terrorism, maritime security, and the early review of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The summit saw leaders review progress in ASEAN-India relations and discuss new initiatives to strengthen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. In alignment with Malaysia's chairmanship theme of "Inclusivity and Sustainability," PM Modi announced India's continued support for the implementation of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2026-2030). He also welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN-India Joint Leaders' Statement on Sustainable Tourism, marking the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism. Earlier this week, during his visit to Kuala Lumpur, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reaffirmed India's commitment to ensuring a peaceful, progressive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Addressing the East Asia Summit in Malaysia, he stated, "India values EAS' contribution to peace, progress and prosperity," expressing optimism about the summit's outcomes. (ANI)
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