Strategic Synergy: Strengthening India-ASEAN Defence and Technological Collaboration
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has advocated for deeper military research and co-production partnerships between India and ASEAN nations to address emerging security challenges and foster indigenous technological self-reliance.
The inaugural ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum has emerged as a critical platform for realigning regional security architectures. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized that the future of stability in the Indo-Pacific rests not just on traditional diplomatic ties, but on robust, collaborative frameworks for military research and industrial co-production. As the geopolitical landscape shifts toward a multipolar order, India’s strategic outreach to ASEAN—a bloc central to the ‘Act East’ policy—is increasingly focused on operationalizing defence synergy.
A core pillar of this vision is the acceleration of indigenization in military technology. With the battlefield undergoing a paradigm shift due to the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), autonomous systems, and space-based assets, traditional reliance on off-the-shelf imports is increasingly viewed as a vulnerability. By fostering joint research initiatives, India aims to share its technological expertise in indigenous defence manufacturing with ASEAN counterparts, thereby creating a collaborative ecosystem that reduces dependency on external powers. This shift towards co-production reflects the broader ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ objective, adapted to a regional context where maritime security and information sharing are paramount.
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