Rajnath calls for India-ASEAN defence cooperation

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh urged stronger India-ASEAN defence ties at a New Delhi forum, proposing joint research on maritime security, counter-drone systems, cyber defence, and disaster response. He called for co-development of defence technologies, greater interoperability, and designated 2026 as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation, stressing no country can address regional threats alone.