Defence minister Rajnath Singh will seek to strengthen defence ties with Southeast Asian nations and identify new areas of cooperation during his two-day visit to the Philippines for the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus from October 28-29, officials said.
India seeks an Indo-Pacific where all countries can make their own choices, protect their interests, and pursue development in peace, Singh said on October 14 at the inaugural session of the ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum at the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses. “During my visit, I will also hold several bilateral meetings with my counterparts from participating nations. These interactions will be a great opportunity to review our ongoing defence ties and explore new avenues to strengthen our strategic partnerships.
The visit comes days after Singh said India was ready to explore defence cooperation with the Southeast Asian bloc in areas ranging from patrol vessels, radars and air defence systems to helicopters, drones and other technologies. The visit will also focus on advancing a free, open and inclusive order in the vast Indo-Pacific region, the officials said. “India is firmly committed to ASEAN centrality and the peace, stability, and collective growth of the Indo-Pacific region under our Act East Policy,” Singh said on the eve of his visit. “We believe that security is strengthened when countries build capacity together, respect international law, and maintain trust through dialogue,” Singh said.
