India’s Engagement with Southeast Asia: Evolving Contours of Defence Diplomacy
India’s Engagement with Southeast Asia: Evolving Contours of Defence Diplomacy
by Ms. Jane Merline Gonsalves, Research Intern, CNSS under India Strategic Studies Programme
India’s defence diplomacy, shaped by the Act East Policy, has become a key pillar of foreign policy. It focuses on strengthening ties with ASEAN nations through cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, where strategic and economic interests converge.
India’s engagement includes training, joint exercises, defence exports, and maritime security cooperation. Major initiatives like MILAN, SIMBEX, and VINBAX deepen interoperability, while exports such as the BrahMos missiles to the Philippines and Vietnam highlight India’s emergence as a defence exporter. Beyond the military domain, India contributes to Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), cybersecurity, and technology diplomacy, underlining its Make in India push. These efforts counter China’s growing assertiveness while building mutual trust. For Southeast Asia, India is seen as a reliable partner and net security provider, committed to promoting a rules-based order and ensuring regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.