ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum: Rajnath opens first edition
Why in the news
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the opening of the first ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum in New Delhi on 14 October 2026, calling for an open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
Key facts
- Dates and venue: 14-15 October 2026 at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), New Delhi.
- Origin: announced by Rajnath Singh at the 2nd ASEAN-India Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on 31 October 2025, held alongside the 12th ADMM-Plus.
- Participants: India and all 11 ASEAN member states.
- Industry offer: cooperation on patrol vessels, radars, air-defence systems, helicopters and drones, including co-development, co-production and MRO.
- Priorities named: maritime domain awareness, interoperability and underwater awareness.
- Innovation channels cited: iDEX and the Technology Development Fund (TDF).
- Theme year: 2026 is the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation.
About the forum and MP-IDSA
The two-day agenda covers strategic stability, grey-zone challenges, maritime security, disaster relief (HADR), AI, cybersecurity, space and unmanned systems. Proposed outcomes include a joint research agenda and pilot projects such as a counter-drone study. MP-IDSA, the host, is headed by Director General Ambassador Sujan R. Chinoy.
Exam angle
- Link with India’s Act East Policy, SAGAR and MAHASAGAR.
- ASEAN now has 11 member states.
- Note the venue (MP-IDSA, New Delhi) and the announcement venue (Kuala Lumpur).