India’s Indo-Pacific stand not against any country: Rajnath Singh
New Delhi, Nov 1: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday reaffirmed that India’s emphasis on the rule of law and freedom of navigation and overflight in the Indo-Pacific is not aimed against any nation, but is intended to safeguard the collective interests of all regional stakeholders.
Speaking at the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur, the Defence Minister said India’s engagement with ASEAN is “long-term, principle-driven, and rooted in a shared belief that the Indo-Pacific should remain open, inclusive, and free from coercion.” “Our strategic engagement with ASEAN rests on a shared belief that the Indo-Pacific should remain open, inclusive, and free from coercion,” he said, adding that India’s advocacy of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) underscores its commitment to international norms and peaceful maritime cooperation. Rajnath Singh described the ADMM-Plus as a vital pillar of India’s Act East Policy and a key mechanism for promoting peace, stability, and capacity building in the region.
Emphasising the theme of “Inclusivity and Sustainability” under Malaysia’s chairmanship, Rajnath Singh said inclusivity in security means ensuring that all nations, regardless of size or capability, have a voice in shaping the regional order, while sustainability means building defence architectures resilient to new threats and grounded in long-term cooperation. “For India, these principles resonate with its own strategic outlook. Our security vision integrates defence cooperation with economic development, technology sharing, and human resource advancement,” he noted. Rajnath Singh recalled that India’s engagement with ASEAN predates the ADMM-Plus framework but has been strengthened by it, complementing diplomatic and economic cooperation. He said the elevation of the ASEAN–India partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022 reflects growing convergence on regional priorities.
Highlighting India’s active participation in the forum, he noted that India has co-chaired several Expert Working Groups—on Humanitarian Mine Action (2014–17) with Vietnam, Military Medicine (2017–20) with Myanmar, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (2020–24) with Indonesia, and currently, Counter-Terrorism (2024–27) with Malaysia. “The ADMM-Plus has helped align India’s initiatives with ASEAN’s strategic outlook, ensuring that India’s engagements reinforce, rather than compete with, ASEAN mechanisms,” he added. Concluding his remarks, the Defence Minister said India remains ready to contribute constructively to regional stability and prosperity “through dialogue, partnership, and practical cooperation,” reaffirming New Delhi’s commitment to an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
