The first ASEAN–India Defence Think Tank Forum, organised by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) in New Delhi on 14–15 October 2026, was a welcome initiative in a relationship whose security dimension has advanced faster at the governmental level than among non-governmental interlocutors. It fulfilled a commitment made by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the second ASEAN–India Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025, on the sidelines of the 12th ADMM-Plus. Bringing together representatives of India and all eleven ASEAN member states, the forum created a new platform for strategic dialogue.Its significance lies not merely in fulfilling a commitment but in addressing a gap in India–ASEAN engagement. As I have argued in The Durian Flavour: India–ASEAN After a Decade of the Act East Policy, the Delhi Dialogue, conceived as a Track 1.5 platform, lost momentum as participation by ASEAN ministers diminished. The ASEAN–India Network of Think Tanks has continued, but a dedicated defence forum brings a different set of institutions and practitioners into the relationship. By concentrating on experts, researchers and defence professionals rather than seeking ministerial participation, the new initiative has the potential to sustain a more candid and technically informed conversation.AdvertisementAlso Read | India-ASEAN ties need a renewed pushThe Defence Minister’s inaugural address provided a useful political framework. He envisaged an Indo-Pacific in which all countries, large and small, could “make their own choices, protect their interests and pursue development in peace”. He emphasised trust, respect for sovereignty, international law and dialogue, while arguing that India’s approach and ASEAN’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) should complement rather than compete with each other. His assertion that “self-reliance does not mean working in isolation” was particularly relevant to the possibilities for defence-industrial cooperation. He also called for lasting partnerships based on co-development, co-production, maintenance, training and technical support, rather than one-off transactions.The forum’s five thematic areas reflected the breadth of the agenda: Strategic stability and regional geopolitics; maritime cooperation amid grey-zone challenges; humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR); defence technology and innovation; and defence-industrial collaboration. Discussions covered maritime domain awareness, cyber security, emerging technologies, joint exercises, critical infrastructure and resilient supply chains. The range of participants—some heading defence institutions and others specialising in ASEAN and Indo-Pacific affairs—helped bring different perspectives to the table.My session on strategic stability and regional geopolitics highlighted both convergences and gaps in perception. Maritime security and the rules-based order featured prominently, but ASEAN interlocutors generally appeared less inclined to discuss some of the sharper strategic concerns that animate Indian thinking. For instance, the South China Sea Code of Conduct did not emerge spontaneously in the discussion, although it was raised later. The Quad was also relatively peripheral. This should not be read as evidence of indifference among ASEAN countries; rather, it illustrates the sensitivities surrounding strategic competition and the desire to preserve ASEAN’s autonomy. India must understand these concerns rather than assume its Indo-Pacific priorities will automatically resonate across Southeast Asia.AdvertisementNevertheless, there is considerable scope for practical cooperation. HADR is an established and relatively comfortable area for collaboration, with opportunities to improve preparedness, information-sharing and coordination before disasters strike. Maritime domain awareness, coast guard cooperation and interoperability deserve greater attention, particularly as the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asian waters constitute a connected maritime space. Cyber security, counter-drone technologies and other emerging defence capabilities could provide further opportunities for joint research and innovation.The industrial dimension is equally important. ASEAN partners are unlikely to be interested simply in purchasing Indian equipment. They will look for reliable maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), technology transfer, local industrial participation and sustained technical support. Joint development and production, including through partnerships between Indian and Southeast Asian companies, could help meet these expectations. As the Defence Minister stressed, the objective should be enduring partnerships that build local capabilities and make supply chains more dependable.The forum also exposed a wider weakness in India’s regional outreach. India often takes the initiative in organising engagements with ASEAN, but sustained interaction requires more than hosting conferences in New Delhi. ASEAN intellectuals and policy specialists are regularly invited to fully funded programmes by other dialogue partners. India must compete in this crowded field through consistent engagement, research collaboration, fellowships and reciprocal institutional exchanges. The Malaysian suggestion to engage more closely with the Network of ASEAN Defence and Security Institutions (NADI), alongside proposals for tabletop exercises, deserves serious consideration.ASEAN could also connect more coherently with regional platforms such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and BIMSTEC, in which several ASEAN members participate. India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) should advance in ways that complement the AOIP, particularly in maritime cooperation, without appearing to impose a competing regional framework.you may likeThe real test of this maiden forum will be whether it produces sustained engagement, rather than another successful conference. The Defence Minister proposed a joint research agenda, exchanges involving younger scholars, pilot projects, tabletop exercises, and periodic progress reviews. These suggestions provide a practical roadmap. The forum should meet regularly, preferably biennially, with participating institutions undertaking interim work.The governmental foundations of India–ASEAN defence cooperation have strengthened through exercises, naval visits, coordinated patrols and maritime information-sharing. The next task is to deepen understanding beyond governments and build a wider constituency for the partnership. MP-IDSA deserves credit for creating this additional channel. Its success will ultimately be measured by whether dialogue generates trust, practical cooperation, and a more sustained Indian presence in Southeast Asia’s strategic thinking.The writer is former Ambassador to ASEAN and author of The Durian Flavour