India-Malaysia defence: India is giving big importance to its defence diplomacy as it builds closer ties with Southeast Asian countries. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) recently said that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to join the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) on November 1, 2025. This major meeting will bring together defence ministers from the ten ASEAN countries along with eight partner nations including India, the US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
A day before that, on October 31, Malaysia will host the second ASEAN-India Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting. Defence ministers from all ASEAN countries and India will take part in this informal session to discuss new ways to work together. India became a full dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992, and the first ADMM-Plus took place in Hanoi, Vietnam in October 2010.
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India’s Plan and Goals for ADMM-Plus 2025
On November 1, Rajnath Singh will speak at the main session on the theme: “Reflection on 15 years of ADMM-Plus and Charting the Way Forward.” His speech will focus on how countries can strengthen their cooperation and build peace in the region.
Apart from the main event, Rajnath Singh will also hold private talks with other defence ministers and top Malaysian officials. These talks will help India deepen its defence relations, support the “Act East” policy, and boost cooperation on security matters with ASEAN.
Right now, India and Malaysia are working together as co-chairs of the Experts Working Group on Counter Terrorism for the 2024-2027 cycle. This shows how both countries want to handle security challenges like terrorism together. Another key project is already planned the second ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise in 2026. This will focus on India’s growing attention to the Indo-Pacific and its surrounding seas.
Indo-Pacific collaboration need
The Indo-Pacific region is becoming more important in global politics, and India wants to play a strong role in keeping it peaceful and stable.
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India’s participation also supports its “Act East” policy, which means building better relations with countries to the east, especially in trade, defence, and the seas. The focus on counter-terrorism shows that India is serious about tackling new kinds of threats that do not come from war but still harm people and stability.
The 2026 maritime exercise is also imporant step as it will help India and ASEAN countries train together at sea, share skills, and improve trust. The upcoming event in Malaysia could also lead to new defence deals, joint exercises, or fresh cooperation in security technology.
Officials say the speech and meetings at ADMM-Plus will give clear ideas about India’s goals for the region. The talks with Malaysia and other countries may also bring real outcomes such as Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) or new defence projects.
