The 20th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting and the 13th ADMM-Plus were held in Cebu, Philippines on 28 and 29 October 2026 under the Philippine chairship theme Navigating Our Future, Together. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh represented India and proposed an India-ASEAN Youth Bridge for people-to-people links, digital innovation and capacity building. The meetings adopted a Joint Statement on Youth, Peace and Security and marked 50 years of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
What Is ASEAN, ADMM and What Is ADMM-Plus?
ASEAN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a regional grouping for economic, political and security cooperation in Southeast Asia. ASEAN was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration by five founding members. The ASEAN Secretariat is located in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The grouping began with Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. It later expanded to include Brunei in 1984, Vietnam in 1995, Laos and Myanmar in 1997, Cambodia in 1999 and Timor-Leste on 26 October 2025. ASEAN now has 11 member countries and works in English as its working language. Its motto is One Vision, One Identity, One Community.
The ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) is the highest defence consultation mechanism inside ASEAN. The ADMM was inaugurated in 2006 in Kuala Lumpur to build mutual trust among militaries and to discuss regional defence and security issues.
The ADMM-Plus is a wider platform that brings ASEAN together with eight dialogue partners. The inaugural ADMM-Plus was held in Hanoi, Vietnam on 12 October 2010. Since 2017, the ADMM-Plus meets every year. It now brings together 18 countries in one room, which makes it the main defence dialogue for the Indo-Pacific that includes all major powers.
| Feature | ADMM | ADMM-Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Full form | ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting | ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus |
| Started in | 2006, Kuala Lumpur | 2010, Hanoi |
| Frequency | Every year | Every year since 2017 |
| Members | 11 ASEAN states | 11 ASEAN states plus 8 partners |
| Main task | Trust building among ASEAN militaries | Practical cooperation with partners through working groups |
The eight Plus countries are Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States. The ADMM-Plus works through seven Experts Working Groups (EWGs) on maritime security, counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping operations, military medicine, humanitarian mine action and cyber security. Each group is co-chaired by one ASEAN state and one Plus country for a three-year cycle.
Where and When the 2026 Meetings Were Held
The 20th ADMM met in Cebu on 28 October 2026 and the 13th ADMM-Plus met in the same city on 29 October 2026. The venue was the Mactan Expo Centre in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. The Philippines chaired both meetings as the ASEAN 2026 chair under the theme Navigating Our Future, Together.
The theme reflects a push for unity and joint action amid growing uncertainty in the regional security environment. Under this theme, the Philippines set three priorities of peace and security anchors, prosperity corridors and people empowerment. In defence, this meant focus on ethical use of artificial intelligence, early warning systems, maritime domain awareness and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
The 20th ADMM adopted the Manila Joint Declaration on Navigating Our Future, Together. The declaration reaffirmed commitment to international law, peaceful settlement of disputes and freedom of navigation and overflight. It also supported the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and early conclusion of a Code of Conduct.
Five new initiatives were adopted in Cebu to deepen practical cooperation:
- Concept Paper on Enhancing Linkage between the ADMM-Plus and the ASEAN Regional Forum defence dialogues
- Concept Paper on the ADMM Young Leaders Exchange Programme
- Guide to ADMM and ADMM-Plus Practices and Protocols
- Maritime Security Resilience amidst Emerging Technologies Conference to be co-hosted by the Philippines and India in 2027
- 2027 ADMM-Plus Conference on Chemical, Biological and Radiological Threats
At the close, the Philippines handed the ADMM and ADMM-Plus chairship to Singapore. Singapore will host the 21st ADMM and 14th ADMM-Plus in 2027 with the theme Future-ready, Adaptive and Resilient.
What India Proposed at the 13th ADMM-Plus
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the Indian delegation at the 13th ADMM-Plus in Cebu on 29 October 2026. He received a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the venue and held bilateral talks on the sidelines with several counterparts. His address covered counter-terrorism cooperation, maritime rules and a new youth partnership.
India-ASEAN Youth Bridge for Connectivity and Skills
Rajnath Singh proposed a dedicated India-ASEAN Youth Bridge to strengthen defence cooperation through young people. The proposal rests on the shared youth profile of India and most ASEAN states, including Vietnam, Indonesia, Timor-Leste and the Philippines. India argued that this common demographic advantage links their futures and can build long term trust.
The Youth Bridge would work in three areas. First, it would expand people-to-people connectivity through exchanges among young officers, cadets and civilian defence staff. Second, it would promote digital innovation and joint work on new technologies. Third, it would support capacity building and skill development so youth can take a larger role in peace and security. The idea aligns with the meeting Joint Statement on Youth, Peace and Security and with existing programmes such as the ASEAN Defence Interaction Programme and Future Leaders Programmes under the working groups.
India and Malaysia Co-Chair the Counter-Terrorism Working Group
India and Malaysia are co-chairs of the ADMM-Plus Experts Working Group on Counter-Terrorism for the 2024 to 2027 cycle. They took over from Myanmar and Russia, who led the group in the 2021 to 2024 cycle. The 14th meeting of the group was held in New Delhi in March 2025 and the 16th meeting was held in New Delhi in January 2026 to plan future exercises.
The co-chairs have set a clear exercise calendar. A Table-Top Exercise is to be hosted by Malaysia in 2026 and a Field Training Exercise is to be hosted by India in 2027. These drills test joint procedures, intelligence sharing and response tactics against terrorist threats. Rajnath Singh said in Cebu that Indian counter-terrorism expertise is hard earned through decades of facing cross-border challenges and cited Operation Sindoor as proof of a proactive doctrine. He offered joint exercises, training and intelligence sharing with ASEAN partners.
India’s Stand on Maritime Security and Freedom of Navigation
Rajnath Singh said maritime security is closely tied to the safety and prosperity of the wider region. India backed the rule of law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) adopted in 1982, and called for freedom of navigation and overflight. He said this position is not directed against any country but seeks to protect the collective interest in open sea lanes and stable maritime governance.
India also listed maritime safety, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance, professional interaction and capacity building as areas for closer work with ASEAN. The offer connects to the new Maritime Security Resilience conference in 2027 and to India Act East Policy, which treats ASEAN as central to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
What the Joint Statement on Youth, Peace and Security Says
The 13th ADMM-Plus adopted a Joint Statement on Youth, Peace and Security in Cebu on 29 October 2026. The statement notes that youth form about one third of the combined ASEAN population and are among the most affected by threats to peace. It recalls United Nations Security Council resolutions 2250 (2015), 2282 (2016), 2535 (2020) and 2558 (2020), which created the global Youth, Peace and Security agenda.
Youth, Peace and Security means involving young people as partners in preventing conflict, building peace and shaping post-conflict recovery. The Cebu statement builds on the 2021 Joint Statement at the ASEAN Regional Forum and the 2022 ASEAN Leaders Statement on the Year of ASEAN Youth. It also links to the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and its Political-Security Community Strategic Plan, which call for empowering youth in community building.
The ministers committed to seven actions. They will promote meaningful participation of youth in peacebuilding and in peaceful settlement of disputes under international law. They will recommend youth representation in decision making where suitable. They will build skills of young defence personnel through dialogue and practical cooperation. They will align initiatives with youth needs and include Future Leaders Programmes in the work plans of the working groups from the 2027 to 2030 cycle onwards.
The text praises existing youth platforms such as the ASEAN Defence Interaction Programme, ADMM-wide Education and Training Exchanges and the service level exchanges of the ASEAN Navy Young Officers Interaction, the ASEAN Air Force Junior Officers Interaction Programme and the Young ASEAN Military Medicine Officers programme. The goal is to prepare a new generation of officers who trust each other and can manage crises together.
Why the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation Turning 50 Matters
The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia is the founding code of conduct for relations among states in the region. The treaty was signed in Bali, Indonesia on 24 February 1976 at the first ASEAN summit. In 2026 it completed 50 years, and the 20th ADMM issued a Joint Statement to mark the anniversary.
The TAC sets principles of mutual respect for sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful settlement of disputes and renunciation of the threat or use of force. These ideas are often described as the ASEAN Way of consensus and consultation. Over time the treaty was opened to outside powers, and countries such as India, China, the United States, Japan and members of the European Union have acceded to it. Accession signals acceptance of peaceful conduct in Southeast Asia.
The 50th anniversary statement reaffirms the TAC as a cornerstone of regional peace and prosperity. For defence ministers, the link is direct. The Youth, Peace and Security agenda and the new linkage between the ADMM-Plus and the ASEAN Regional Forum both aim to keep competition within peaceful bounds. By recalling the TAC, the ministers signalled that freedom of navigation, self-restraint and dialogue remain the agreed method to handle sensitive issues such as the South China Sea.
Why ASEAN Is Important for India
ASEAN sits at the centre of India Act East Policy and its Indo-Pacific vision. India became a dialogue partner of ASEAN in the 1990s and the relationship was raised to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022. Trade, connectivity projects, digital links and defence drills now form a wide web of ties.
Defence cooperation is practical and regular. India joins ADMM-Plus exercises on maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, military medicine and counter-terrorism. India also holds separate drills such as the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise, whose next edition draws attention in 2026. The co-chair role with Malaysia gives India a direct hand in setting the counter-terrorism agenda for three years.
The Cebu outcomes serve Indian interests by keeping ASEAN unity and centrality in regional security, which India supports to prevent dominance by any single power. They open a youth channel that can deepen people links over time while reinforcing a rules based order at sea, which protects Indian trade that passes through the Malacca Strait and the South China Sea.
Key Takeaways
- The 20th ADMM and 13th ADMM-Plus were held in Cebu on 28 and 29 October 2026 under the theme Navigating Our Future, Together.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh proposed an India-ASEAN Youth Bridge for people-to-people ties, digital innovation and capacity building.
- India and Malaysia co-chair the ADMM-Plus Experts Working Group on Counter-Terrorism for the 2024 to 2027 cycle, with drills planned in Malaysia in 2026 and India in 2027.
- The 13th ADMM-Plus adopted a Joint Statement on Youth, Peace and Security that links youth participation to UN resolutions 2250 (2015) and 2535 (2020).
- The meetings marked 50 years of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, signed in Bali in 1976, and handed the 2027 chairship to Singapore.
