ADMM-Plus on Counter Terrorism: India’s Role and Strategic Importance

 Keywords: ASEAN, ADMM-Plus, India, Counter Terrorism, Cybercrime, Indo-Pacific

Date: 19th April, 2025

Since the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus was inaugurated in 2010, it has been playing a role as a key multilateral security platform that brings together ten ASEAN members and eight dialogue partners: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States.

The ADMM-Plus was introduced to foster practical cooperation between ASEAN and its dialogue partners in addressing security challenges in the region. Unlike other ASEAN-led regional security mechanisms such as ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which is sometimes criticized as mere “talking shop”, the ADMM-Plus focusses on tangible outcomes of regional security cooperation.

The ADMM-Plus has established six Expert Working Groups (EWGs) that work on different areas of security cooperation, namely, Marine Security, Counter Terrorism, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, Peacekeeping Operations, Military Medicine, Humanitarian Mine Action and Cyber Security. Each of the six EWGs is co-chaired by one ASEAN member country and a dialogue partner who set objectives, policy guidelines, organize annual meetings and host joint cooperation exercises.

Given its rapidly increasing strategic and economic importance, the Indo-Pacific is vulnerable to transnational terror threats, which naturally calls for a comprehensive and collaborative response to address the terrorism related challenges in the region. In this context, the 14^th ADMM-Plus EWG meeting on Counter Terrorism that was held in New Delhi on March 19-20, 2025, was a strategically significant event.

India assumed its maiden terms as co-chairmanship of EWG on Counter Terrorism along with Malaysia for the year 2024-2027 cycle. Delegates from all ten ASEAN members, along with eight dialogue partners, were present at the meeting along with representatives from Timor-Leste and the ASEAN Secretariat. Developing a structured work plan to counter evolving terrorist threats in the Indo-Pacific was the primary agenda of the meeting.

Malaysia to host a Table-Top Exercise in 2026 and a Field Training Exercise to be held in India the following year. These exercises are expected to provide a platform for participating countries to refine their joint operational capabilities and also to test response mechanisms in simulated scenarios of terrorist activities. A comprehensive strategy was outlined towards enhancing operational readiness, inter-agency coordination, and intelligence sharing among ASEAN member states and dialogue partners.

The ADMM-Plus meeting underscored the increasing necessity for regional cooperation in tackling terror-linked activities in the region. The role of technology in countering radicalization and cybercrime threats including aspects such as utilizing digital surveillance, artificial intelligence, and cyber defense strategies were emphasized. Countering the misuse of AI-driven technologies such as encrypted communication and smart drone technologies by terror group members also was discussed.

Speaking at the inaugural session, India’s Defence Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh, underscored New Delhi’s commitment to regional security and gave a call for a ‘whole of government and whole of society’ approach to counter the challenges posed by increasing radicalization and violent extremism. He continued, “By leveraging our collective expertise, enhancing capacity-building and fostering deeper trust and cooperation, we can significantly strengthen regional security and counter-terrorism preparedness.”

In light of increasing threats posed by transnational terror groups that could destabilize the region, there is growing convergence of interests between ASEAN and its dialogue partners in reinforcing regional stability through deeper security engagements. Towards this goal, the delegates shared valuable ideas on enhancing coordination and innovative strategies to counter the menace of international terrorism.

With decades of experience in cross-border counter terrorism activities, India aims to reinforce its commitment to regional security through its co-chairmanship in the ADMM-Plus EWG on Counter Terrorism. New Delhi’s engagement with ADMM-Plus aligns with its broader strategic objectives under its Act East Policy. The adoption of the Delhi declaration during India’s chairmanship of the UNSC counter terrorism committee in 2022 highlights India’s commitment towards global security governance.

In the past two decades, New Delhi’s counter terrorism cooperation with ADMM Plus members has significantly evolved, driven mainly by shared security concerns and rising terrorism across the region. The 9/11 attacks and the 2002 Bali bombings led to the beginning of a more serious dialogue between India and the ASEAN region that culminated in the 2003 India-ASEAN Joint Declaration to Combat International Terrorism. India and ASEAN have expressed the need for its early conclusion of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT), which has been under negotiation at the UN.

At the bilateral level, India has initiated several anti-terrorism activities with most of the ADMM Plus countries. For instance, New Delhi has supported the Philippines, which has suffered from insurgency issues. In fact, India’s first financial contribution to a foreign anti-terror operation was with the Philippines when New Delhi donated $500,000 after the 2017 Marwai siege in its Mindanao province.

Similarly, India-Singapore Joint Working Group meetings exemplify ongoing bilateral counter-terror dialogues. India has also enhanced security ties, particularly in response to terrorist challenges in Southern Thailand. Similarly, India’s comprehensive strategic partnership with Malaysia and Vietnam has focused on cybersecurity and anti-terrorism collaborations.

Furthermore, India has initiated several anti-terrorism cooperation activities such as terror funding, radicalization and misuse of emerging technologies with the QUAD partners both bilaterally and multilaterally. New Delhi has also maintained a strong anti-terrorism component in its engagements with Russia as well. In essence, India’s counter-terrorism cooperation with ADMM Plus members is fast evolving into a comprehensive approach towards tackling this global menace.

In this context, India aims to enhance interoperability with regional stakeholders and supports the broader vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific by actively partnering with ASEAN and its dialogue partners in ADMM Plus. India’s engagement with the ADMM-Plus also serves as a counterbalance to China’s rising influence in the Indo-Pacific.

As a co-chair of EWG on Counter Terrorism, India can promote joint collaborative measures to address major challenges that emerge from cross-border terror outfits. The planned Field training exercise in 2027 in India aims to provide hands-on experience to participants and strengthen deeper security cooperation.

The ADMM-Plus meeting reaffirms New Delhi’s rising role in regional security and to enhance its strategic footprint in the Indo-Pacific. ASEAN’s commitment to maintaining strategic equilibrium amid increasing pressure on ASEAN centrality and differences that exist between the dialogue partners at times limit deeper security engagements in the region. However, the rapidly changing nature of terrorism such as lone-wolf attacks and nuanced cyber-terror attacks demand continuous adaptation of counter terrorism strategies.

This calls for ADMM Plus partners to remain united and agile in responding to the fast-evolving nature of cross-border terror threats. The planned joint exercises in Malaysia (2026) and India (2027) could serve as a key milestone in enhancing security interoperability and high-level preparedness in light of increasing transnational terror threats.

Prasanna Kumar is a doctoral research scholar at the Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above and the information available are those of the author/s and can therefore in no way be taken to reflect the position of Asian Confluence

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