International RelationsImportant2024-11-21

11th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus

In News

What Happened

On November 21, 2024, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Vientiane, Lao PDR. He underscored the critical need to safeguard the Global Commons and avoid unilateral actions that disrupt regional stability. Furthermore, he reiterated India's strong commitment to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the Indo-Pacific and advocated for adopting Buddhist principles of peaceful co-existence.

Why It Matters

The meeting reinforces India's 'Act East Policy' and its strategic interest in ensuring a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. By championing a rules-based order and international maritime law, India positions itself as a crucial balancing power and a champion for regional security architecture.

Background

History & Context

The ADMM-Plus is the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism between ASEAN and its eight Dialogue Partners (Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, ROK, Russia, and the USA). Inaugurated in Hanoi, Vietnam, in October 2010, it aims to strengthen security and defence cooperation for peace and stability. Over the years, India has utilized this forum to elevate its 'Look East' policy into a more proactive 'Act East' framework, embedding itself deeply in the regional security architecture.

What Changed

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BEFORE: Regional security discourse largely treated the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean as distinct strategic theaters. NOW: Through forums like ADMM-Plus, the dialogue fully integrates the broader 'Indo-Pacific' concept, linking Southeast Asian stability directly to global maritime commons.
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BEFORE: Diplomatic resolutions occasionally softened language on maritime laws to accommodate conflicting major power interests. NOW: India explicitly anchors its regional security stance on strict adherence to UNCLOS and freedom of navigation, pushing back against unilateral territorial assertions.
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BEFORE: Conventional security mechanisms dominated conflict management rhetoric. NOW: India is actively injecting civilizational diplomacy into international security frameworks, explicitly proposing Buddhist principles of non-violence and peaceful co-existence for modern dispute resolution.

Prelims Angle

NCERT Connection

This event connects directly to Class 12 Political Science Chapter 4, 'Contemporary Centres of Power', which discusses the rise of ASEAN as an influential regional organization. The ADMM-Plus illustrates how the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) model has evolved, demonstrating how India engages with ASEAN as a multilateral center of power to stabilize the Indo-Pacific.

Practice Questions

Q1

Correct Statement(s)

Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus)? 1. It comprises the ten ASEAN member states and eight Dialogue Partners, including India, China, and the United States. 2. At the 11th ADMM-Plus in Lao PDR, India emphasized adherence to UNCLOS for maintaining freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific.

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