Rajnath Singh to lead Indian delegation at ASEAN Defense Ministers' meeting

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will lead the Indian delegation at the 13th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu, Philippines. The meeting, which begins Wednesday, aims to facilitate discussions on regional and international security issues.

Alongside the main summit, Singh will conduct bilateral meetings with defense ministers from member nations to review existing defense relations and explore methods to strengthen strategic partnerships. The ADMM-Plus serves as the highest defense consultation and cooperation mechanism for the organization, involving 11 ASEAN member states and eight dialogue partners.

India has been a dialogue partner of ASEAN since 1992. This active participation aligns with India's ‘Act East’ policy, which seeks to bolster defense ties in Southeast Asia and promote peace, stability, and shared development in the region.