India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to safeguarding commercial shipping and ensuring freedom of navigation across the Indian Ocean Region and the wider Indo-Pacific at the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM-Plus) in the Philippines.
Addressing the meeting on Thursday, Singh said the safety of commercial shipping was a national responsibility, highlighting the Indian Navy’s operational record of escorting thousands of merchant vessels and thwarting dozens of attempted hijackings at sea.
He emphasised that effective maritime security required sustained naval deployments, coordinated action and international cooperation amid growing transnational threats to global trade routes. India, he said, would continue to serve as a reliable net security provider in the region.
India-ASEAN Maritime Cooperation
Singh highlighted maritime cooperation as a key pillar of India’s engagement with ASEAN in 2026, designated the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation. He also referred to the second ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise as an important initiative to strengthen regional coordination.
The Defence Minister said the Indian Navy had maintained an uninterrupted operational presence in volatile maritime corridors, including the Gulf of Aden, since 2008, supporting freedom of navigation and the protection of global sea lines of communication.
Emphasising India’s commitment to international maritime law, he called for a regional security framework based on mutual trust, cooperation and collective responsibility, in line with the meeting’s theme, “Navigating Our Future, Together.”
India Reiterates Zero Tolerance for Cross-Border Terrorism
Singh also reiterated India’s zero-tolerance policy towards cross-border terrorism, highlighting the importance of collective counter-terrorism efforts under the ADMM-Plus framework.
He cited Operation Sindoor as an example of India’s approach to dismantling terrorist infrastructure and responding firmly to state-sponsored terrorism. He offered India’s security experience and operational doctrines as potential contributions to regional efforts against terrorism.
India and Malaysia are co-chairing the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism for the 2024–2027 cycle, providing a platform to strengthen cooperation among regional defence partners.