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India, Malaysia Co-Chair ASEAN Defence Meet to Advance Counter-Terrorism Agenda

India and Malaysia are jointly chairing the 16th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus Experts Working Group on Counter Terrorism in New Delhi. The meeting, attended by 11 ASEAN members and 7 dialogue partners, aims to review progress and strengthen multilateral cooperation against terrorism. A key agenda includes planning for a Table Top Exercise to be hosted by Malaysia in 2026, followed by a Field Training Exercise by India in 2027. The ADMM-Plus framework focuses on practical cooperation in seven security areas, including maritime security and cyber security.

Key Points: ASEAN Defence Ministers Meet on Counter-Terrorism Co-Chaired by India

  • India & Malaysia co-chair meeting
  • Full participation from ADMM-Plus nations
  • Platform for practical defence cooperation
  • Table Top Exercise planning in 2026
  • Focus on seven security areas
2 min read

"Hope to move agenda on counter terrorism forward," says Head of Malaysian Delegation at ASEAN Defence Ministers meet

India and Malaysia co-chair the 16th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus Experts Working Group on Counter Terrorism in New Delhi.

"We hope to move forward our agenda on counter terrorism - Muhammad Ammir Haron"

New Delhi, January 14

At the 16th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting- Plus Experts Working Group on counter terrorism co-chaired by India and Malaysia, Muhammad Ammir Haron, Head of Delegation from Malaysia, said that they expected to carry forward their agenda on counter terrorism.

He said, "We have full participation from ADMM plus and ASEAN countries, and we hope to move forward our agenda on counter terrorism. We work across the globe to help ensure peace and stability across the region, not towards any particular country."

The meeting of 16th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus Experts Working Group (EWG) on Counter Terrorism (CT) and Final Planning Conference for Table Top Exercise is scheduled from January 14 to 16, as per a statement by the Ministry of Defence.

India and Malaysia will co-chair the 16th EWG on CT meeting. Delegations from 11 ASEAN members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and Timor Leste) and 07 dialogue partners (Australia, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Japan, China, USA and Russia) along with ASEAN Secretariat representatives will participate in the EWG on CT. This will be the third meeting for the ongoing cycle from 2024-2027.

The meeting will provide an important platform to review progress since the previous session, deliberate on the ongoing and planned activities under the three-year work plan to further strengthen India's multilateral cooperation on Counter-Terrorism with the ADMM-Plus framework.

The Final Planning Conference for Table Top Exercise will be conducted on 14 January. Malaysia will host Table Top Exercise during the next edition of EWG meeting in 2026. India will subsequently hold Field Training Exercise in 2027.

The ADMM-Plus serves as a platform for practical cooperation among the participating countries' defence establishments. It currently focuses on seven areas of practical cooperation namely maritime security, counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping operations, military medicine, humanitarian mine action and cyber security. The EWGs have been established to facilitate cooperation in these seven areas, the statement added.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good initiative. But hope the talks lead to concrete action, not just statements. The inclusion of all major powers, including China and the US, is interesting. Let's see if consensus is possible.
A
Aman W
India hosting and co-chairing such meetings boosts our global standing. The table-top and field exercises planned for 2026-27 sound promising for practical training.
S
Sarah B
As someone who follows international relations, the ADMM-Plus framework is crucial for Indo-Pacific stability. Counter-terrorism cooperation is a non-controversial starting point for deeper collaboration between these diverse nations.
V
Vikram M
The Malaysian delegate's statement "not towards any particular country" is key. Terrorism has no religion or nationality. The focus must remain on the ideology of violence, not geopolitics. Hope the working group remembers this.
K
Karthik V
With all due respect to the effort, we've seen many such meetings. The real test is whether countries will share actionable intelligence and cut off funding to terror groups, even if it's politically inconvenient. Actions speak louder than words.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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