India is ready to share its “battle-tested” counter-terrorism expertise with ASEAN member states and their dialogue partners, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday, citing Operation Sindoor as a demonstration of New Delhi’s firm stance against state-sponsored terrorism.
Addressing the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu, the Philippines, Singh said joint military exercises, capacity-building programmes and intelligence sharing could strengthen collective efforts to combat terrorism.
“India is fully prepared to share its practical and battle-tested counter-terrorism expertise with ADMM-Plus partners,” he said.
Referring to Operation Sindoor, launched last year, Singh said the destruction of terrorist infrastructure demonstrated India’s approach to state-sponsored terrorism. He added that the country’s counter-terrorism capabilities had been shaped by decades of confronting cross-border security threats.
Singh also outlined India’s vision for a secure and resilient Indo-Pacific, stressing that peace and stability in the region required collective efforts.
Flagging concerns over threats to maritime trade routes, he said statements on maritime security were insufficient and called for concrete action. India, he added, would continue to act as a “trusted net security provider” in the Indian Ocean region and the wider Indo-Pacific.
Emphasising the importance of maritime security to regional peace, security and prosperity, Singh reiterated India’s commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), freedom of navigation and overflight.
He said India’s advocacy of international maritime law was not directed against any country but aimed at protecting the collective interests of regional stakeholders.
His remarks come amid concerns among several ASEAN members and other countries over China’s growing military presence and activities in the disputed South China Sea, with calls for adherence to international maritime law.
(With inputs from PTI)