India-ASEAN Defence Think Tank Forum Inaugurated in New Delhi
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the maiden Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - India Defence Think Tank Forum at Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) in New Delhi on October 14, 2026. The forum, being held on October 14-15, 2026, aims to strengthen strategic dialogue, promote joint analysis, and identify practical avenues for enhanced defence and security cooperation between India and ASEAN, following the announcement made by Rajnath Singh during the second ASEAN-India Defence Ministers' Informal Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on October 31, 2025.
Strategic Vision for Indo-Pacific Cooperation
Rajnath Singh articulated India's vision for an Indo-Pacific where all countries - large and small - can make their own choices, protect their interests, and pursue development in peace. He emphasized that India and ASEAN share a clear interest in peace, stability, prosperity, and an open & inclusive Indo-Pacific, with India's Act East policy and visions of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) advocating for open and multipolar cooperation through ASEAN-led mechanisms. The Raksha Mantri highlighted the region's challenges including strategic competition, pressure and uncertainty through actions at sea, terrorism, cybercrime, piracy, trafficking, illegal fishing, climate-related disasters, and risks to vital supply chains.
Maritime Cooperation and Practical Initiatives
With 2026 designated as ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation, Singh stressed the opportunity to turn shared interest into practical action, particularly in improving maritime information sharing, strengthening cooperation among navies and coast guards, and building collective emergency response capabilities. He emphasized that the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asian waters represent one connected maritime space crucial for trade, energy, people, and essential goods, requiring strengthened maritime domain awareness, interoperability, and underwater awareness collaboration.
Defence Technology and Innovation Collaboration
The Raksha Mantri identified defence technology as a crucial area for cooperation, noting the increasing importance of Artificial Intelligence, drones, cyber capabilities, and space-based systems, with recent conflicts demonstrating that relatively low-cost drones can challenge expensive defence systems. He proposed exploring ways for innovators to work together on clearly defined problems such as counter-drone systems, cyber defence, maritime surveillance, and disaster response, referencing India's Initiatives for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and Technology Development Fund (TDF) as models for collaboration.
Defence Industrial Cooperation and Partnership Models
India expressed readiness to explore cooperation with ASEAN partners in areas including patrol vessels, radars, air-defence systems, helicopters, drones, and other technologies according to each country's needs and priorities. Singh emphasized that India's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiative focuses on building stronger domestic capabilities but creates opportunities for trusted partners to design, build, maintain, and improve equipment together through co-development, co-production, maintenance, repair, overhaul, training, and long-term technical support arrangements.
Humanitarian Assistance and Think Tank Contributions
The forum addressed enhanced cooperation for natural disaster response, with Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) identified as a regular part of defence dialogue to address cyclones, floods, rising sea levels, and extreme weather that can damage ports, disrupt trade, and threaten lives and livelihoods. Director General of MP-IDSA Amb Sujan R Chinoy described the forum as an important institutional milestone in ASEAN-India defence engagement that will help identify practical areas for deeper defence and security cooperation.
Expected Outcomes and Future Direction
The forum will deliberate on strategic stability, regional geopolitics, maritime security, grey-zone challenges, HADR, maritime domain awareness, defence technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, space, unmanned systems, defence industry collaboration, and resilient supply chains. Practical outcomes suggested include developing a joint India-ASEAN research agenda, regular researcher exchanges, identification of pilot projects such as tabletop exercises on maritime disaster response or joint studies on counter-drone solutions, promotion of Track 1.5 and Track 2 dialogues, and preparation of concise recommendations with institutional implementation pathways.