Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh met with the Defence Ministers of ASEAN during the second India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on October 31, 2025. During the meeting, the Ministers appreciated India’s key role in peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and sought to deepen defence cooperation with New Delhi at the regional level.

In his address, Raksha Mantri highlighted that the second India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting represents a strategic opportunity to advance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of India with ASEAN, particularly the defence and security components of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action for 2026–2030. He announced two forward-looking initiatives namely ASEAN-India Initiative on Women in UN Peacekeeping Operations and ASEAN-India Defence Think-Tank Interaction.

The Malaysian Defence Minister, as ADMM chair, welcomed Shri Rajnath Singh and described India as a superpower. He stated that ASEAN, as a community, will benefit by deepening its engagement with India in the realm of cyber and digital defence as well as defence industry & innovation. He complimented India’s ability to set up a self-reliant defence industry and technological research ecosystem which can benefit the ASEAN member states.

The Defence Minister of the Philippines praised India’s respect for international law & multilateralism being a superpower. By demonstrating adherence to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, India has set an example for the other countries in the region to follow. While appreciating India’s role as the first responder in the Indo-Pacific region, he extended full support for the forthcoming India-ASEAN Maritime exercise and highlighted the upcoming Joint Cooperative activity in the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone.

Echoing similar sentiments, the Cambodian Defence Minister complimented the rise of India, and expressed gratitude for its contributions in training in UN Peacekeeping Operations, HMA and Military Medicine.

Reiterating the sentiments expressed by the Defence Ministers of the Philippines and Cambodia, the Defence Minister of Singapore emphasised that ASEAN has faith in India’s capacity and capability in playing a key role in ensuring peace and security in the region. He also proposed more joint activities, more policy dialogues, more joint exercises and interactions between India and ASEAN at the level of younger generation, as these interactions will lay the groundwork for future collaboration.

The Defence Minister of Thailand agreed that the ASEAN community will benefit from India’s defence industry and technology ecosystem and called for ‘Regional self-reliance’ in production.

The ASEAN Defence Ministers welcomed the initiatives and looked forward to deeper engagement with India advancing the India-ASEAN strategic partnership.

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VK/SR/Savvy

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