At the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh underscored the importance of keeping the Indo-Pacific region free, open, and resilient to coercion, reiterating India’s commitment to a rules-based international order as essential for regional peace, prosperity, and stability.

Singh’s remarks come amid increasing concerns over China’s expanding strategic influence in the Indo-Pacific. Beijing has been actively setting up military bases, pressing neighboring countries to recognize its maritime claims, and seeking strategic concessions from smaller, vulnerable nations. Against this backdrop, India emphasized the importance of adherence to international law and multilateral frameworks.

“India’s emphasis on the rule of law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and its advocacy for freedom of navigation and overflight in the Indo-Pacific, are not directed against any country,” Singh told the assembly. “These measures are meant to safeguard the collective interests of all regional stakeholders.”

He stressed that India’s approach is principled and long-term rather than transactional. “India’s strategic engagement with ASEAN is based on a shared belief that the Indo-Pacific should remain open, inclusive, and free from coercion,” Singh said. He highlighted that such cooperation ensures regional security, stability, and the protection of sovereignty for all nations, irrespective of size or military capability.

Singh also drew attention to India’s broader strategic framework for the region, noting that the ADMM-Plus serves as a key component of India’s Act East Policy and its Indo-Pacific vision. “As the ADMM-Plus enters its 16th year, India stands ready to deepen cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, to promote dialogue over discord, and to strengthen regional mechanisms that ensure peace and stability,” he said. According to the defence minister, lessons from the past 15 years are clear: inclusive cooperation works, regional ownership builds legitimacy, and collective security strengthens individual sovereignty.

He highlighted the concepts of inclusivity and sustainability as pillars of regional security. Inclusivity ensures that all nations, regardless of size or military capability, can contribute to shaping the regional order and benefit from it. Sustainability implies building security architectures that are resilient to shocks, adaptable to emerging threats, and rooted in long-term cooperation rather than short-term alignments. “For India, these principles resonate with its own strategic outlook,” Singh added. He emphasized that India’s security vision for the Indo-Pacific integrates defence cooperation, economic development, technology sharing, and human resource advancement, creating an interlinked approach where security, growth, and sustainability reinforce one another.

Singh also pointed out that India’s initiatives are aligned with ASEAN’s strategic outlook, ensuring that India complements rather than competes with ASEAN mechanisms. “The ADMM-Plus has helped India ensure that its engagements reinforce ASEAN mechanisms, promoting stability and trust in the region,” he said.

The Indian defence minister’s statements came alongside remarks by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who directly referenced China’s aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in the South China Sea. Hegseth cited incidents such as ramming of vessels and the use of water cannons against regional navies, warning that China’s actions threaten territorial sovereignty and violate its commitments to resolve disputes peacefully.

Hegseth urged ASEAN nations to finalize a Code of Conduct with China to regulate behaviour at sea and to strengthen their collective capabilities, including joint maritime surveillance and rapid-response tools to deter provocations. He proposed establishing a shared maritime domain awareness system, which would alert all members in case of aggression against any nation. “We need to develop joint capabilities to respond, including monitoring maritime conduct and deploying tools that allow rapid action. This ensures that nations facing aggression are not left alone,” he said.

On the sidelines of the ADMM-Plus, Singh and Hegseth discussed India-US defence cooperation, highlighting the recent signing of a 10-year framework to deepen bilateral defence ties. Ensuring a free, open, and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region was identified as a top priority under this partnership. Singh reaffirmed that the India-US partnership is critical for promoting peace, stability, and security across the maritime expanse stretching from the Indian Ocean to the Western Pacific.

Singh’s remarks came at a crucial time when the Indo-Pacific is witnessing a surge in strategic competition, with vulnerable states facing pressure from external powers. India’s stance, as articulated by Singh, emphasizes that no country should use coercion to alter regional dynamics. Instead, a rules-based order, collective security, and respect for sovereignty should guide the interactions of all regional stakeholders.

By highlighting principle-driven diplomacy, multilateral cooperation, and the integration of economic and security objectives, India reaffirmed its role as a stabilizing force in the Indo-Pacific. The defence minister concluded his address by emphasizing the need for continued collaboration among ASEAN, India, the US, and other regional powers to ensure the Indo-Pacific remains an arena of peace, prosperity, and inclusivity, rather than confrontation and coercion.