New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said on Wednesday that India has a zero tolerance policy for terrorism.
The Defence Secretary reaffirmed this during a keynote address at the 14th meeting of ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus Experts Working Group (EWG) on Counter-Terrorism in New Delhi.
He said, “India remains steadfast in its zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and believes in an approach that combines robust domestic mechanisms, enhanced intelligence-sharing, and strong regional cooperation.”
Delegations from 10 ASEAN members — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand, including eight dialogue partners (Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, China, The US and Russia) along with Timor Leste and ASEAN Secretariat participated in the meeting.
India is co-chairing the EWG on Counter-Terrorism for the first time.
The Defence Secretary said, “Terrorism remains a dynamic and evolving challenge, with threats increasingly transcending borders, and the use of advanced technology, cyber tools and unmanned systems by terrorist groups necessitates a cohesive, forward looking and action-oriented approach. The Indo-Pacific region, given its geopolitical and economic significance, is particularly vulnerable to transitional terrorism and violent extremism, which calls for a comprehensive, adaptive, and deeply collaborative response.”
He emphasised that through the ADMM-Plus platform, India seeks to build synergy among the defence forces, security agencies, and policy frameworks to address emerging threats effectively.
“In the complex, hyper-connected and fast-paced world, social and ecological systems are fragile. It is important to assess this risk to empower the Governments in priority setting and decision-making. Terrorism can destabilise governments, undermine civil society, and threaten social and economic development. We have a collective obligation to provide the decision-makers guidance to understand uncertainty and better weigh the impact on decision making,” Singh added.
ADMM-Plus EWG on Counter-Terrorism is being co-chaired by India and Malaysia for a three-year cycle.
The Defence Secretary said, “By leveraging our collective expertise, enhancing capacity-building, and fostering deeper trust and cooperation, we can significantly strengthen regional security and counter-terrorism preparedness.”
According to Defence Secretary Singh in EWG on Counter-Terrorism, the focus will be on strengthening regional cooperation and improving interoperability among the Armed Forces through structured joint initiatives.
He said, “The aim will be to counter the misuse of emerging technologies and addressing threats posed by terrorists through use of AI-driven propaganda, encrypted communications, drone technologies. Strengthening cyber resilience against online radicalisation and recruitment efforts will also be a focus area.”
He added that in 2027, India will host a field training exercise, aimed at stimulating real-world Counter-Terrorism scenarios, enhancing operational coordination, and testing rapid response mechanisms.
He called for developing a whole of government and society approach to counter radicalisation and violent extremism and enhancing legal and financial frameworks to disrupt terror financing networks.
He also congratulated Malaysia for assuming the chairmanship of ASEAN for the year 2025, extending India’s full support.
He acknowledged Malaysia’s effort in effectively steering ASEAN under the current geopolitical scenario with the theme ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’.
He said that India is privileged to co-chair this crucial initiative alongside Malaysia.
The Defence Secretary described India’s relationship with ASEAN as a key pillar of its foreign policy, which is at the heart of the ‘Act East Policy’.
He reiterated India’s strong support to a stable and unified ASEAN which serves as an institutional anchor of an important region.
–IANS
gcb/khz