Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be attending the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) on October 28–29, 2026 in Cebu, Philippines.
In Southeast Asia, countries are keen on deepening defence cooperation in response to the changed regional security dynamics, the Rajnath Singh Cebu Visit takes place.
Singh will discuss bilateral issues and address international security concerns, says India’s Ministry of Defence. The meeting will be a chance to explore India’s increasing interaction with ASEAN.
Rajnath Singh Cebu Visit: Key Meeting Details
According to Indian government’s official announcement, Singh will be the head of the Indian delegation at the 13th ADMM-Plus. In 2026, the forum will be chaired by the Philippines, which will host ASEAN members and eight countries in the ASEAN dialogue process for defence consultations.
Regional Security and Defence Cooperation Agenda
Singh will give a talk on regional and international security issues. Maritime security and counter-terrorism and cyber security are areas where ADMM-Plus cooperation is now in place and outcomes of the upcoming ministerial discussions are not confirmed.
Bilateral Defence Talks With ASEAN Partners
Singh will meet the defence ministers of the countries and discuss their current ties and expand their cooperation, the Defence Ministry told the PTI. These kinds of talks offer possibilities for concrete cooperation, such as training, information exchanges and defence exchanges, but do not guarantee new agreements.
India’s Act East Policy and Strategic Interests
India has been a dialogue partner of ASEAN since 1992. It is currently a co-chair for the ADMM-Plus counterterrorism working group for 2024–2027, with Malaysia. The ASEAN Secretariat says that Defence leaders will attend the meetings in Cebu.
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