INDIA 🔗 Part of: Indian Government Actions and Policy Developments (36) · 30 Oct 2026 · 04:03 GMT ·2 min read

India Deepens Security Ties with ASEAN at 13th ADMM-Plus in Cebu

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh offered to share India’s counter-terrorism expertise with ASEAN partners at the 13th ADMM-Plus in Cebu, Philippines, on October 29, 2026.

NEUTRALITY 74 · BALANCED· 9 sources

The Hindu National

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh offered to share India’s counter-terrorism expertise with ASEAN partners at the 13th ADMM-Plus in Cebu, Philippines, on October 29, 2026. Singh stated that India is prepared to share experience through joint exercises, capacity-building, and intelligence sharing. These efforts aim to bolster regional security. He also proposed a "Youth Bridge" to improve people-to-people ties.The meeting marked the 20th anniversary of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting. India co-chairs the Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism with Malaysia for the 2024-2027 cycle.

Context

India engages with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus). The ADMM-Plus platform facilitates security cooperation among member states. India conducts operations like "Operation Sindoor" to dismantle militant infrastructure. These missions also counter state-sponsored threats. The year 2026 marks the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation. This initiative seeks to improve regional maritime stability.

Supportive perspectives

India offered to share counter-terrorism expertise through joint exercises, capacity-building programs, and intelligence sharing. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated this commitment during the 13th ADMM-Plus in Cebu on October 29, 2026.
India and Malaysia co-chair the Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism for the 2024-2027 cycle. This role integrates India into security cooperation under the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) framework.
Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. announced the signing of a joint statement. The document commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
Rajnath Singh proposed the establishment of a 'Youth Bridge' to enhance people-to-people connectivity between India and ASEAN nations.

Critical perspectives

Diplomatic friction overshadowed the 13th ADMM-Plus in Cebu. China downgraded its representation to Defence Attaché Yang Lei and accused a Philippine politician of obstructing its participation.
Article III of the ASEAN Convention on Counter Terrorism enforces strict non-interference and state sovereignty. This foundational policy restricts cross-border intelligence sharing and joint military operations.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated at the Cebu forum that existing regional maritime security statements are insufficient. He called on member states to transition from declarations to concrete operational action.
India's counter-terrorism doctrine relies on preemptive cross-border strikes like the May 2025 Operation Sindoor. This approach contrasts with ASEAN's consensus-based security framework, which favors domestic law enforcement over external military intervention.