Rajnath Singh Heads to Philippines for Key ASEAN Defence Summit in Cebu
What Happened
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh departed for Cebu, Philippines, on 27 October 2026 to attend the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) being held on 28-29 October. He will lead the Indian delegation and address discussions on regional and international security issues. The Ministry of Defence said Singh is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with defence ministers from participating countries to review ongoing cooperation and strengthen strategic partnerships. India has reiterated its commitment to ASEAN centrality and Indo-Pacific stability under its Act East Policy.
Key Takeaways
The ADMM-Plus is one of the Indo-Pacific's most important defence dialogue platforms, bringing together ASEAN members and eight major partner countries. India's participation highlights its continued defence engagement with Southeast Asia and its focus on regional security cooperation through the Act East Policy.