New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will travel to the Philippines this week to attend a meeting of a grouping comprising ASEAN nations and some of its dialogue partners that is expected to deliberate on evolving regional security situation.
Singh will present India’s views in dealing with major security challenges including the threat of terrorism facing the region at the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) to be held at Cebu from October 28 to 29.
ADMM-Plus is a platform comprising 11-nation ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and its eight dialogue partners — India, China, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.
Defence Minister Singh will lead the Indian delegation at the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus at Cebu, according to an official statement.
He will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts of participating countries on the margins of the event.
India became the dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992 and the inaugural ADMM-Plus was convened in Hanoi on October 12, 2010.
The Philippines is the chair of ADMM-Plus for 2026.
Under the construct of ADMM-Plus, India is co-chairing the experts working group on counter-terrorism with Malaysia for the cycle 2024-2027.
India’s active participation in the grouping underscores the deepening defence diplomacy in Southeast Asia under the Act East policy, aimed at ensuring peace, stability and collective growth in the region, the defence ministry said. PTI MPB KVK
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