Asean Defence Ministers Meeting – Plus

ASEAN DEFENCE MINISTERS MEETING- PLUS

• In November 2024, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) held in Vientiane, Laos.
• There he met several key counterparts from the Asia-Pacific region, including those from South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and the US.
• The discussions focused on strengthening defence ties, boosting military cooperation, and deepening industrial collaboration in the region.

ABOUT ADMM+

• ADMM-Plus is a platform for ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and its 8 Dialogue Partners:

• • Australia
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • New Zealand
  • Republic of Korea
  • Russia
  • United States
• Purpose:
  • Strengthen security and defence cooperation.
  • Promote peace, stability, and development in the region.
• Inaugural Meeting:
  • First convened on 12 October 2010 in Ha Noi, Vietnam.
• Annual Meetings:
  • Since 2017, the ADMM-Plus meets annually to facilitate enhanced dialogue and cooperation among ASEAN and Plus Countries amidst an increasingly challenging regional security environment.

OBJECTIVES

• Capacity Building:
  • Help ASEAN member states address shared security challenges.
  • Acknowledge the differing capacities of ASEAN members in defence and security matters.
• Promoting Mutual Trust:
  • Promote greater dialogue and transparency between defence establishments.
  • Build mutual trust and confidence among the ASEAN members and Plus Countries.
• Enhancing Regional Peace & Stability:
  • Promote cooperation in defence and security to tackle transnational security challenges facing the region.
• Realisation of an ASEAN Security Community:
  • Support the vision outlined in the Bali Concord II:
    • Achieve peace, stability, democracy, and prosperity.
    • Ensure that ASEAN member states live in harmony with each other and with the world at large.
• Supporting the Vientiane Action Programme:
  • Facilitate the realisation of ASEAN’s peaceful, secure, and prosperous goals.
  • Adopt strategies for better external relations with ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners.

KEY MEETINGS & DISCUSSIONS

• Meeting with South Korean Defence Minister, Kim Yong Hyun
  • Key Points Discussed:
    • Co-production & Co-development: Rajnath Singh highlighted the potential for enhanced defence manufacturing collaboration between India and South Korea, specifically in co-production and co-development.
    • Defence Corridors: He invited Korean companies to invest in India’s defence corridors, which have significant opportunities for setting up manufacturing units.
    • Strategic Partnership: Both countries reaffirmed their Special Strategic Partnership, emphasizing growing bilateral ties and mutual interests in addressing regional security challenges.
    • Bilateral Defence Cooperation: The meeting underscored the importance of strong defence relations, especially in light of shared security challenges in the region.
    • Both parties agreed to continue cooperation through established mechanisms like the Defence Policy Dialogue (DPD), with the next round scheduled for December 2024.

Meeting with Australian Defence Minister, Pat Conroy

• Key Points Discussed:
  • Partnership in Indian Ocean Region: Rajnath Singh noted the growing India-Australia partnership, emphasizing shared interests in ensuring stability and security in the Indian Ocean region.
  • Defence Collaboration: Both sides agreed to explore deeper defence collaboration, particularly in niche areas, and to exchange an implementing arrangement for air-to-air refuelling.
  • This would improve interoperability between the two countries’ air forces.
  • Strengthening Bilateral Ties: There was a consensus on taking the bilateral defence relationship to the next level, both in direct bilateral cooperation and in regional contexts.

Meeting with New Zealand Defence Minister, Judith Collins

• Key Points Discussed:
  • Cultural and Strategic Ties: Rajnath Singh emphasized the shared democratic traditions, love for sports (cricket, hockey), and common governance values as the foundation of India-New Zealand defence relations.
  • Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA): Singh requested the early finalization of the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA), which is expected to enhance the growing bilateral ties between the two nations.
  • Shipbuilding Industry: Both countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in shipbuilding, leveraging India’s strong industry in this area to enhance mutual capabilities.

Bilateral with Malaysian Defence Minister, Khaled Nordin

• Key Focus:
  • Rajnath Singh held discussions with Malaysian Defence Minister Khaled Nordin.
  • The details of the meeting were not elaborated in the statement but were part of the broader diplomatic engagements to strengthen defence relations within the ASEAN framework.

Meeting with Defence Minister of Lao PDR, General Chansamone Chanyalath

• Key Focus:
  • Rajnath Singh engaged with the Defence Minister of Laos as part of the broader ASEAN Defence Ministers’ dialogue, aiming to enhance India’s relations with Southeast Asian nations, especially in terms of security cooperation and regional stability.

Meeting with US Secretary of Defence, Lloyd J. Austin

• Key Points Discussed:
  • Strengthening India-US Defence Ties: Rajnath Singh and Lloyd Austin discussed the continued progress in the India-US defence partnership.
  • The meeting focused on increased cooperation in military operations, information sharing, and defence innovation.
  • Key Agreements: Both sides emphasized recent agreements, such as:
    • Security of Supplies Agreement (SOSA) and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed during Singh’s visit to the US in August 2024, aimed at enhancing logistics and defence collaboration.
    • INDUS-X and MALABAR exercises were also highlighted as key initiatives to enhance interoperability between the two nations.
  • Focus on Indo-Pacific: Both leaders stressed the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. They supported initiatives like the Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI) and the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project.
  • Defence Innovation: Singh and Austin discussed expanding the collaboration in defence innovation, particularly through platforms like the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem, which connects government, businesses, and academic institutions for greater technological collaboration.

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