Kuala Lumpur, October 31: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold a meeting with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur today. He will also meet with Malaysian Defence Minister Khaled Nordin during his visit, as part of efforts to deepen bilateral and multilateral defence ties, reports 24brussels.

Singh departed for Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to participate in the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus), scheduled to take place in Malaysia on November 1. His bilateral meetings with Hegseth and Nordin precede the multilateral engagement, emphasizing India’s ongoing focus on strengthening defence cooperation both regionally and globally.

During his two-day visit, Singh is expected to conduct additional bilateral meetings with counterparts from the other participating ADMM-Plus nations, as well as engage with Malaysia‘s senior leadership to address key regional and security issues. This sets the stage for India’s significant participation in the upcoming ADMM-Plus.

The ADMM serves as the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), offering a platform for member states to discuss strategic and security-related matters. The ADMM-Plus framework unites ASEAN member states — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam — along with eight Dialogue Partners: India, the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.

These nations aim to enhance regional security and defence cooperation through dialogue, joint exercises, and capacity-building initiatives. India has been a Dialogue Partner of ASEAN since 1992, and the inaugural ADMM-Plus was convened in Hanoi, Vietnam, on October 12, 2010, marking the commencement of structured defence cooperation between ASEAN and its dialogue partners.

Since 2017, the ADMM-Plus has been held annually, aiming to bolster regional collaboration in security and defence matters, enabling India to play an increasingly proactive role in Indo-Pacific security affairs. Currently, India co-chairs the Experts’ Working Group on Counter Terrorism with Malaysia for the 2024-2027 cycle, reaffirming its commitment to promoting peace, stability, and counter-terrorism cooperation in the region.

The second edition of the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise is scheduled for 2026, further highlighting India’s expanding defence partnership with ASEAN nations and its emphasis on maritime security in the Indo-Pacific. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently addressed the ASEAN-India Summit virtually, stressing collaboration in counter-terrorism, maritime security, and the early review of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This sets a comprehensive agenda for deepened engagement.

The summit provided an opportunity for leaders to evaluate progress in ASEAN-India relations and discuss new initiatives aimed at fortifying their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, aiming to align security cooperation with economic and sustainable development goals. In light of Malaysia‘s chairmanship theme of “Inclusivity and Sustainability,” PM Modi reiterated India’s support for the implementation of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2026-2030), reflecting shared priorities in regional growth and stability.

He welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN-India Joint Leaders’ Statement on Sustainable Tourism, marking the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism — a step that complements broader strategic efforts to strengthen people-to-people and institutional relationships between India and ASEAN nations.