Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], October 31 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold a meeting with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur today.

He will also hold a meeting with Malaysian Defence Minister Khaled Nordin during his visit, as part of efforts to deepen bilateral and multilateral defence ties.

Singh had departed for Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to participate in the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus), scheduled to be held in Malaysia on November 1.

His bilateral meetings with Hegseth and Nordin come ahead of the multilateral engagement, underscoring India's continued focus on strengthening defence cooperation both regionally and globally.

During his two-day visit, Singh is expected to hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from the participating ADMM-Plus nations and engage with Malaysia's senior leadership to discuss key regional and security issues, further setting the stage for India's active participation in the upcoming ADMM-Plus.

ADMM serves as the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), providing a platform for member states to discuss strategic and security-related concerns.

The ADMM-Plus framework brings together ASEAN member states -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam -- along with eight Dialogue Partners: India, the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

Together, they aim to strengthen regional security and defence cooperation through dialogue, joint exercises, and capacity-building initiatives.

India became a Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in 1992, and the inaugural ADMM-Plus was convened in Hanoi, Vietnam, on October 12, 2010, marking the beginning of structured defence cooperation between ASEAN and its partners.

Since 2017, the ADMM-Plus has been held annually to enhance regional collaboration in security and defence matters, enabling India to play an increasingly active role in Indo-Pacific security affairs.

Under the current framework, India is co-chairing the Experts' Working Group on Counter Terrorism with Malaysia for the 2024-2027 cycle, reaffirming its commitment to advancing peace, stability, and counter-terrorism cooperation in the region.

The second edition of the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise is also planned for 2026, further highlighting India's expanding defence partnership with ASEAN nations and its focus on maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently addressed the ASEAN-India Summit virtually, underscoring collaboration in counter-terrorism, maritime security, and the early review of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), setting a comprehensive agenda for deepened engagement.

The summit saw leaders review progress in ASEAN-India relations and discuss new initiatives to strengthen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, aligning security cooperation with economic and sustainable development goals.

In alignment with Malaysia's chairmanship theme of 'Inclusivity and Sustainability,' PM Modi announced India's continued support for the implementation of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2026-2030), reflecting shared priorities in regional growth and stability.

He also welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN-India Joint Leaders' Statement on Sustainable Tourism, marking the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism -- a move that complements broader strategic efforts to foster stronger people-to-people and institutional ties between India and ASEAN nations. (ANI)