Rajnath Singh to Lead Indian Delegation at 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Philippines
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New Delhi, Oct 26 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will lead the Indian delegation at the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus, scheduled to be held in Cebu, Philippines, on October 28 and 29. Regional security challenges and ways to strengthen defence cooperation are expected to dominate the discussions.
According to the Defence Ministry, Singh will address the forum during a session on "Exchange of Views on Regional and International Security Issues". He is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from participating countries on the sidelines of the event.
The bilateral engagements are expected to provide an opportunity to review existing defence cooperation and explore new avenues for strengthening strategic partnerships with India's regional and international partners.
The ADMM-Plus brings together the 11 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and eight dialogue partners — India, the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand — to promote dialogue and practical cooperation on regional security and defence matters.
The ADMM is ASEAN's highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism, while the ADMM-Plus provides a wider platform for engagement between Southeast Asian nations and major regional and international powers. The Philippines is chairing the ADMM-Plus in 2026.
The forum has emerged as an important platform for multilateral defence engagement, with defence ministers meeting annually since 2017 to advance cooperation among ASEAN members and dialogue partners.
India became an ASEAN dialogue partner in 1992, while the inaugural ADMM-Plus meeting was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, on October 12, 2010.
India is also co-chairing the Experts Working Group on Counter-Terrorism with Malaysia for the 2024-2027 cycle under the ADMM-Plus framework, reflecting its commitment to strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation and regional security.
India's participation in the upcoming meeting is part of its broader defence diplomacy and engagement with Southeast Asia under the Act East policy, which aims to strengthen strategic partnerships and promote peace, stability and shared growth across the region.
The meeting comes at a time when sustained dialogue and cooperation among regional countries remain crucial to addressing evolving security challenges. Defence partnerships and multilateral engagement continue to be key elements of India's outreach to ASEAN and the wider Indo-Pacific region.
