New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on October 14, 2026, called for an open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific where all countries, regardless of size, can make independent choices, protect their interests and pursue development in peace.
Addressing the inaugural ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) in New Delhi, he emphasised the need to build trust, respect national sovereignty, follow international law and maintain open channels of dialogue to address emerging and conventional security challenges.
“India seeks an Indo-Pacific where all countries – large and small – make their own choices, protect their interests and pursue development in peace,” he said.
Singh highlighted the shared interest of India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in regional peace, stability, prosperity and an open Indo-Pacific. He stressed that countries should resolve differences peacefully before they escalate into disputes and cooperate without being forced to choose sides amid growing strategic competition.
Act East Policy, SAGAR and MAHASAGAR at the Core of India’s Vision
The Defence Minister underlined the importance of India’s Act East Policy and its visions of SAGAR — Security and Growth for All in the Region — and MAHASAGAR — Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
He said these approaches support open, multipolar cooperation and align with ASEAN-led mechanisms that remain central to India’s Indo-Pacific vision.
India and Southeast Asia share centuries-old connections rooted in history, culture, trade and ideas. Singh described the Act East Policy as a long-term commitment to engaging with the region as an equal partner.
He also called for cooperation among regional forums rather than competition, saying India’s approach and ASEAN’s outlook on the Indo-Pacific could complement each other.
The region, he noted, faces growing strategic competition, uncertainty arising from actions at sea and transnational threats such as terrorism, cybercrime, piracy, trafficking, illegal fishing, climate-related disasters and risks to critical supply chains. These challenges, he stressed, cannot be addressed by any single country acting alone.
Read also: From Joint Ventures to Make in India: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Strengthens India–Czech Ties
Maritime Security and Information Sharing to Be Strengthened
Singh described maritime security as a shared responsibility, noting that the Indian Ocean and the waters of Southeast Asia form part of an interconnected maritime space essential for trade, energy, movement of people and the supply of essential goods.
He identified maritime domain awareness, interoperability and cooperation in underwater awareness as key areas for maintaining a stable, rules-based maritime order.
With 2026 designated as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation, the Defence Minister said the occasion offered an opportunity to translate shared interests into practical initiatives.
He called for better maritime information sharing, stronger cooperation between navies and coast guards, and improved joint responses to emergencies. He also urged countries to work together against piracy, trafficking, illegal fishing and other maritime threats in accordance with international law.
Defence Technology, AI and Counter-Drone Cooperation
Emerging defence technologies formed another major part of Singh’s address. He highlighted the growing importance of artificial intelligence, drones, cyber capabilities and space-based systems, noting that recent conflicts had demonstrated how relatively inexpensive drones could challenge costly defence systems.
He called for practical, affordable and adaptable technological solutions and greater participation by start-ups, universities, research institutions and smaller companies in defence innovation.
India’s Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative and Technology Development Fund (TDF), he said, have created avenues for working with innovators to address defence requirements.
Singh proposed exploring collaborative projects focused on clearly defined operational needs, including counter-drone systems, cyber defence, maritime surveillance and disaster response.
He also called for joint research projects, shared testing opportunities, exchanges among young researchers and carefully designed innovation challenges. Such cooperation, he emphasised, must protect sensitive information, respect intellectual property rights and ensure the responsible sharing of technology.
India Offers Scope for Defence Industrial Partnerships
On defence industrial cooperation, Singh said India was ready to explore partnerships with ASEAN countries in areas such as patrol vessels, radars, air-defence systems, helicopters, drones and other technologies, depending on individual countries’ requirements and priorities.
He clarified that the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative is not about working in isolation. Instead, self-reliance can create opportunities for trusted partners to design, build, maintain and improve defence equipment together.
The Defence Minister highlighted co-development, co-production, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), training and long-term technical support as areas that could strengthen these partnerships.
Such arrangements, he said, can build local skills, support domestic industries and improve supply-chain reliability.
He also urged researchers and policymakers to examine the factors that make defence partnerships sustainable, including clearly defined requirements, dependable after-sales support, appropriate technology safeguards, fair sharing of responsibilities and benefits, and opportunities for local companies and skilled workers.
“Our goal should be lasting partnerships, not one-time transactions,” Singh said.
Disaster Response to Become an Important Area of Defence Dialogue
Singh also called for stronger regional cooperation in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), arguing that disaster preparedness should be a regular part of defence dialogue.
Cyclones, floods, rising sea levels and extreme weather events can damage ports, disrupt trade and threaten lives and livelihoods. He said India and ASEAN countries could learn from one another, exchange best practices and improve coordination before a crisis occurs.
The emphasis on disaster response reflects the wider need for regional preparedness, particularly where natural disasters can affect critical infrastructure and interconnected maritime supply chains.
Rajnath Singh Proposes Joint Research Agenda and Pilot Projects
Highlighting the role of think tanks, Singh said governments require sound analysis as well as ideas that can be translated into practical action.
He proposed several possible outcomes from the inaugural forum, including a joint India-ASEAN research agenda covering maritime security, cyber threats, emerging technologies, disaster response and defence industry cooperation.
He also called for regular exchanges among researchers, particularly young scholars, through fellowships, visiting programmes and joint publications.
Other proposals included pilot projects such as a tabletop exercise on maritime disaster response, a joint study on counter-drone solutions and research on secure maritime information sharing.
Singh further recommended promoting Track 1.5 and Track 2 dialogues to allow researchers, practitioners and policymakers to continue discussions between formal meetings. He urged participants to prepare a concise set of recommendations, identify institutions responsible for taking them forward and review progress at a future meeting.
In his welcome address, MP-IDSA Director General Ambassador Sujan R. Chinoy described the forum as an important institutional milestone in ASEAN-India defence engagement. Welcoming participants from India and all 11 ASEAN member states, he expressed confidence that the platform would sustain dialogue between the two sides’ strategic communities and identify practical avenues for deeper defence and security cooperation.
Two-Day Forum to Shape ASEAN-India Defence Cooperation
The ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum is being held on October 14 and 15, 2026, to strengthen strategic dialogue, promote joint analysis and identify practical opportunities for defence and security cooperation.
The initiative follows an announcement by Rajnath Singh at the second ASEAN-India Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on October 31, 2025, held on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus).
The two-day programme covers strategic stability, regional geopolitics, maritime security, grey-zone challenges, HADR, maritime domain awareness, defence technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, space, unmanned systems, defence industry collaboration and resilient supply chains.
The discussions are expected to support a stronger and more forward-looking ASEAN-India defence partnership, with an emphasis on trust, practical cooperation and a stable Indo-Pacific order.
Read also: Rajnath Singh Felicitates Services Athletes for Record 27-Medal Haul at 2026 Asian Games
