Security in the Indo-Pacific figured prominently in separate talks between defence minister Rajnath Singh and his US, Japanese and Australian counterparts on the sidelines of an ASEAN summit in the Philippines, as the Quad partners underscored their commitment to peace, stability and respect for international law across the vast maritime expanse.
Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi also reviewed regional security challenges and underlined their commitment to boosting defence cooperation to promote security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Singh reviewed regional security in his talks with Australian deputy prime minister and defence minister Richard Marles. “We had productive discussions on reviewing our bilateral defence cooperation, enhancing military interoperability, and addressing regional security challenges.
“Our robust partnership continues to be a cornerstone for a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific,” Singh said after talks with US secretary of war Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADDM)-Plus at Cebu in the Philippines from October 28-29. “Our shared commitment remains vital for a free, open, and peaceful Indo-Pacific region,” Singh said. India places great value on its comprehensive strategic partnership with Australia for a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific,” Singh 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 in Delhi. Quad nations are Comprehensive Strategic Partners of ASEAN and back the bloc’s outlook on the Indo-Pacific. China has longstanding territorial disputes in the South China Sea with several ASEAN members, including Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
In a joint statement issued in Manila on cooperation with ASEAN, the Quad foreign ministers said in July, “We are united in our conviction that peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific maritime domain underpin the security and prosperity of the region. “We believe that security is strengthened when countries build capacity together, respect international law, and maintain trust through dialogue,” he said at the time. Singh will speak at the summit on Thursday.
