NEW DELHI, Oct 29: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday cited Operation Sindoor as decisive proof of India’s battle-tested counter-terrorism doctrine, saying the operation demonstrated the country’s ability to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and enforce a non-negotiable red line against state-sponsored terrorism.
Addressing the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu, Philippines, Singh said India’s counter-terrorism strategies had been tested, refined and proven through decades of confronting complex cross-border security challenges.
Reaffirming India’s commitment to collective regional security and the eradication of terrorism in all its forms, he offered to share the country’s operational experience with ADMM-Plus partners through joint exercises, capacity-building programmes and robust intelligence sharing to strengthen their collective capabilities.
Singh said India’s counter-terrorism expertise was not theoretical classroom knowledge but experience earned on the ground through decades of directly confronting complex security challenges. Emphasising that terrorism knew no borders, he said counter-terrorism remained an important area of cooperation under the ADMM-Plus framework.
India and Malaysia are co-chairing the Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism for the 2024-2027 cycle, he said.
Singh reiterated India’s commitment to a secure, open, inclusive, resilient and rules-based Indo-Pacific, stressing that peace and stability required collective commitment. He said India’s strategic engagement with ASEAN was long-term and rooted in shared interests, mutual respect and practical cooperation.
He recalled that the second ASEAN-India Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting, held in Kuala Lumpur in October last year, had reaffirmed the commitment to advancing the defence and security components of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the ASEAN-India Plan of Action for 2026-2030.
Referring to the theme of the 13th ADMM-Plus, “Navigating Our Future, Together”, Singh said it resonated with India’s foreign and defence policy approaches and its civilisational ethos of “Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah” — may all beings be happy — reflecting the aspiration for the happiness, prosperity and well-being of people across the world.
“Our greatest strength lies in our solidarity and the shared ability to leverage our geographic, economic and strategic diversity,” he said, adding that India believed in an international system built on mutual trust, cooperation and collective responsibility.
Singh also highlighted maritime cooperation as a key pillar of India’s engagement with ASEAN, pointing to the designation of 2026 as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation and the conduct of the second ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise.
He said India’s commitment to international maritime law was backed by decades of operational experience in safeguarding freedom of navigation and global sea lines of communication.
Since 2008, the Indian Navy has maintained an uninterrupted active presence in volatile maritime corridors such as the Gulf of Aden, he said, adding that it had done so without coercion or unilateral actions undermining the rights of other nations.
Singh said India had deployed frontline warships to escort thousands of merchant vessels and thwart dozens of high-seas hijackings, extending protection to commercial shipping irrespective of flag or nationality.
Describing the security of commercial shipping as India’s responsibility, he said effective action, regular operational presence and international cooperation were essential at a time when global trade routes faced complex transnational threats.
India would continue to serve as a reliable net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region and the wider Indo-Pacific, he said.
Singh said maritime security was closely linked to the safety and prosperity of the wider region. He underlined India’s emphasis on the rule of law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and its advocacy for freedom of navigation and overflight.
He said these principles were not directed against any country but were intended to safeguard the collective interests of regional stakeholders dependent on open sea lanes and stable maritime governance.
India remained ready to work with ASEAN partners on maritime safety, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance, professional interaction, capacity building and international law, he added.
Singh also proposed the establishment of a dedicated defence “Youth Bridge” to strengthen India-ASEAN connectivity, promote digital innovation and facilitate capacity building.
He said the shared demographic profile and aspirations of the two sides’ young populations provided a strong foundation for deeper regional partnership. The proposed initiative would enhance institutional and people-to-people connectivity and create greater opportunities for young people to contribute to regional peace and security.
Singh said empowering youth was consistent with the “Youth, Peace and Security” theme and essential to building a peaceful, resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
