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New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday called for an open, inclusive and multipolar Indo-Pacific where countries can make independent choices, protect their interests and pursue development peacefully, emphasising the need for greater trust, respect for sovereignty and adherence to international law amid rising strategic competition.
Addressing the maiden ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) in New Delhi, Singh said India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) shared a common interest in ensuring regional peace, stability and prosperity. He stressed that countries must keep channels of dialogue open and resolve differences peacefully before they escalate into disputes.
“India seeks an Indo-Pacific where all countries—large and small—make their own choices, protect their interests and pursue development in peace,” the Defence Minister said, calling for a regional order in which countries cooperate without being compelled to choose sides.
Singh said India’s Act East Policy, along with its SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) visions, reflected its commitment to an open and cooperative regional order. He added that ASEAN-led mechanisms remained central to India’s Indo-Pacific approach.
Highlighting the challenges confronting the region, Singh cited strategic competition, tensions at sea, terrorism, cybercrime, piracy, trafficking, illegal fishing, climate-related disasters and vulnerabilities in critical supply chains. He said these interconnected threats could not be addressed by any country acting alone.
Maritime security and technology cooperation
Emphasising the shared responsibility of India and ASEAN in securing the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asian waters, Singh said maritime safety was essential for trade, energy flows and the movement of people and essential goods. He identified maritime domain awareness, interoperability and underwater awareness as key areas for cooperation.
With 2026 designated as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation, the Defence Minister called for enhanced information sharing, stronger collaboration between navies and coast guards, and improved joint responses to emergencies. He also urged coordinated action against piracy, trafficking and illegal fishing in accordance with international law.
Singh identified defence technology as another priority, pointing to the growing importance of artificial intelligence, drones, cyber capabilities and space-based systems. Observing that recent conflicts had demonstrated how relatively inexpensive drones could challenge costly defence systems, he called for practical, affordable and adaptable technological solutions.
He highlighted India’s Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and Technology Development Fund (TDF) initiatives as mechanisms to engage start-ups, universities, research institutions and smaller companies in defence innovation. He proposed joint research projects, shared testing facilities, exchanges among young researchers and innovation challenges focused on counter-drone systems, cyber defence, maritime surveillance and disaster response. The Minister stressed that technology partnerships must safeguard sensitive information, respect intellectual property rights and ensure responsible technology sharing.
Push for joint defence manufacturing
On defence industrial cooperation, Singh said India was ready to explore partnerships with ASEAN countries in areas including patrol vessels, radars, air-defence systems, helicopters, drones and other defence technologies, depending on individual countries’ requirements.
He said the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative was aimed at strengthening India’s domestic capabilities and did not imply working in isolation. Instead, self-reliance could create opportunities for trusted partners to jointly design, manufacture, maintain and upgrade defence equipment.
Singh called for greater cooperation in co-development, co-production, maintenance, repair and overhaul, training and long-term technical support. Such arrangements, he said, could strengthen local industries, develop technical skills and make supply chains more resilient.
He emphasised that defence partnerships should be built around clear requirements, reliable after-sales support, appropriate technology safeguards and a fair distribution of responsibilities and benefits, rather than one-time transactions.
Think tanks urged to deliver actionable proposals
Singh also called for making humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) a regular component of defence dialogue, noting that cyclones, floods, rising sea levels and extreme weather events could threaten lives, disrupt trade and damage critical infrastructure.
Underlining the role of think tanks in shaping policy, he proposed a joint India-ASEAN research agenda covering maritime security, cyber threats, emerging technologies, disaster response and defence-industry cooperation. Other suggestions included research fellowships, visiting programmes, joint publications, pilot projects on maritime disaster response and counter-drone solutions, and continued Track 1.5 and Track 2 dialogues involving researchers, practitioners and policymakers. He called for the forum to produce concrete recommendations, identify institutions responsible for implementing them and review progress at a future meeting.