India, the US, Japan and Australia have reaffirmed their commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific during defence talks on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus in Cebu, the Philippines, on October 28-29.

Addressing the summit on Thursday, October 29, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called for stronger regional defence cooperation and joint efforts to eliminate terrorism. He said India was ready to share its counter-terrorism experience with partner countries through joint exercises, intelligence sharing and capacity-building programmes.

Singh cited Operation Sindoor as an example of India’s military preparedness, saying the operation demonstrated the country’s ability to respond to security threats. He stressed that terrorism knows no borders and called for collective action to strengthen regional security.

The minister also reaffirmed India’s commitment to ASEAN centrality and a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific. He highlighted the importance of maritime security, freedom of navigation and international law. Singh said India would continue protecting commercial shipping and supporting security across the Indian Ocean and the wider Indo-Pacific region.

He also proposed a defence ‘Youth Bridge’ initiative to strengthen India-ASEAN ties through people-to-people connections, digital innovation and capacity building.

On the sidelines of the summit, Singh met US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to review progress under the 10-year India-US Defence Framework. The discussions covered military technology, information sharing and defence production. Singh said, “Our robust partnership continues to be a cornerstone for a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.”

Singh also held talks with Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on regional security and expanding defence cooperation. “Our shared commitment remains vital for a free, open, and peaceful Indo-Pacific region,” Singh said.

During his meeting with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, Singh discussed bilateral defence ties, military interoperability and regional security challenges. He reiterated the importance of India’s comprehensive strategic partnership with Australia.

The Quad countries are Comprehensive Strategic Partners of ASEAN and support its Indo-Pacific outlook. In a joint statement issued in Manila in July, the Quad foreign ministers said, “We are united in our conviction that peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific maritime domain underpin the security and prosperity of the region.”

China has longstanding territorial disputes in the South China Sea with several ASEAN members, including Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. The ADMM-Plus brings together 11 ASEAN members and eight dialogue partners, including India, the US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, to strengthen regional defence cooperation.