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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday departed for Delhi after concluding his engagements at the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu, Philippines.
Before his departure, Rajnath Singh met members of the Indian diaspora during his visit to a Gurudwara and a Hindu temple in Cebu, Philippines, where he offered prayers after concluding his engagements at the ADMM-Plus meeting. The visit followed Singh's participation in the 13th ADMM-Plus, where he highlighted India's commitment to strengthening defence cooperation with ASEAN member states and promoting peace, stability and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific region. During his address at the meeting, the Defence Minister proposed the establishment of an India-ASEAN Youth Bridge to strengthen people-to-people connectivity, digital innovation and capacity building among young people in India and ASEAN countries. Singh also reiterated India's commitment to regional security and counter-terrorism cooperation, citing Operation Sindoor as an example of India's approach to tackling terrorist infrastructure. Addressing the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), the Defence Minister highlighted how the relatively young population of ASEAN member countries, along with the youth potential of India, provides them with the foundation of a bright future for the young people themselves. India believes that our greatest strength lies in our young populationin their energy, dynamism, and aspirations. Both India and the ASEAN nations possess a relatively young demographic. This commonality provides us with a distinct advantage and interlinks our futures. To translate this potential into reality, India proposes the establishment of a robust 'India-ASEAN Youth Bridge., the Defence Minister said. Member countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, the Philippines, and others have a relatively young demographic, allowing them to compete with certain Western nations who have an ageing population. Philippines, where the ADMM-Plus dialogue is being hosted, has one of the youngest populations in Southeast Asia. Calling for working together with the ASEAN member nations to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, he added, Our vision to empower the next generation is also reflected in the joint statement of this meeting. By empowering our youth, we are laying the foundation for a bright future for this region. Excellencies, let us work together to further strengthen this vital platform, to promote peace, stability, resilience, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific. In his address, Rajnath Singh took a strong stance against state-sponsored terrorism, saying India reiterates its commitment to enhancing security in the region and eradicating terrorism at its roots. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, Indias experience in the field of counter-terrorism is not limited to classroom learning or theoretical knowledge. Rather, it has been gained through decades of confronting cross-border security challenges on the ground. Every strategy we employ against terrorism has been tested and proven effective in real-world operations." He also held bilateral meetings with the defence ministers of six countries. He conducted high-level discussions with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, and Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles. Additionally, Singh met with Gilberto C Teodoro Jr., the defence minister of the host nation, the Philippines, as well as South Korean Defence Minister Kang Shin-chul and Singaporean Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing to strengthen regional security ties. The ADMM is the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism in ASEAN. ADMM-Plus is a platform for ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam) and its eight Dialogue Partners (India, US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand) to strengthen security and defence cooperation. India became the dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992, and the inaugural ADMM-Plus was convened in Hanoi, Vietnam on October 12, 2010. Since 2017, ADMM-Plus Ministers have been meeting annually to bolster defence cooperation amongst ASEAN and the Plus countries. The Philippines is the chair of ADMM-Plus for 2026. Under the construct of ADMM-Plus, India is co-chairing the Experts Working Group on Counter-Terrorism with Malaysia for the cycle 2024-2027. Indias active participation in the ADMM-Plus mechanisms underscores the deepening defence diplomacy in Southeast Asia under the Act East policy, aimed at ensuring peace, stability and collective growth in the region. (ANI)
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