India offers Asean counterterrorism lessons, but will one size fit all?
Defence analysts say India's experience would only partly meet Asean's needs given differences in threat perception.
Quick Look
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh offered India's counterterrorism expertise to Asean at the ADMM-Plus meeting in Cebu, but analysts note India may need to engage members individually due to differing domestic priorities.
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Why It Matters
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh offered India's counterterrorism experience to Asean at the ADMM-Plus meeting in Cebu.
As India seeks to expand its security cooperation with Southeast Asia by sharing its battle-tested counterterrorism expertise, defence analysts say its experience would only partly meet Asean’s needs given the differences in threat perception and domestic priorities.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made the offer at the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu on Thursday. Citing Operation Sindoor as an example of India’s counterterrorism capabilities, he offered to share New Delhi’s experience with the bloc through joint exercises, training and intelligence-sharing.
“India’s counterterrorism experience was not theoretical knowledge but had been acquired through decades of confronting complex security challenges, including cross-border terrorism,” Singh said.
Open Questions
- How will individual Asean members respond to India's offer?
