India is ready to share its “battle-tested” counter-terrorism expertise with ASEAN members and their dialogue partners, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday, describing Operation Sindoor as a clear message of New Delhi’s stance against state-sponsored terrorism.
Addressing a conclave of defence ministers from ASEAN member states and the bloc’s dialogue partners in Cebu, the Philippines, Singh called for stronger cooperation to tackle terrorism and maritime security threats. He said India supports a secure and resilient Indo-Pacific, where peace and stability are achieved through collective efforts.
Flagging disruptions to key maritime trade routes, Singh said India would continue to act as a “trusted net security provider” in the Indian Ocean region and the wider Indo-Pacific.
“Today, when global trade routes are facing new types of international threats, merely issuing statements on maritime security is not enough,” he said at the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) conclave.
Singh stressed the need for coordinated efforts to counter terrorism and offered to share India’s operational experience with partner nations.
“India is fully prepared to share its practical and battle-tested counter-terrorism expertise with ADMM-Plus partners,” he said, adding that joint military exercises, capacity-building programmes and intelligence sharing could strengthen collective capabilities.
Referring to Operation Sindoor, launched last year, Singh said India had destroyed a large number of terrorist infrastructure sites during the operation, calling it a declaration of the country’s firm approach towards state-sponsored terrorism.
India’s counter-terrorism experience, he said, was built over decades of confronting cross-border security challenges, including terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
“Every strategy of ours against terrorism has been tested and proven in actual operations and has demonstrated its success,” he said.
SINGH OUTLINES INDIA’S INDO-PACIFIC VISION
The defence minister also reiterated India’s commitment to maritime security, describing it as central to regional peace, security and prosperity.
“We support an Indo-Pacific that is secure and resilient — one where peace and stability are not merely aspirations, but the outcome of our collective efforts,” he said.
Singh said 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 were aimed at protecting the shared interests of regional stakeholders, rather than targeting any country.
His remarks come amid calls by several ASEAN members and other democracies for adherence to UNCLOS amid China’s growing military presence in the disputed South China Sea.
– Ends
