Addressing the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus), Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on June 16 said that India remains committed to engaging with the ASEAN in line with its 'Act East' policy. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, “India's engagement with the South East Asia region is based on 'Act East Policy' announced by PM Modi in November 2014. It promotes economic cooperation and cultured ties through continuous engagement at bilateral and multilateral levels.”
“India supports utilisation of the ASEAN-led mechanism for implementation of a shared vision for the Indo-Pacific,” the Defence Minister said. “Developments in the South China Sea have attracted attention in the region and beyond. India supports freedom of navigation, overflight, and unimpeded commerce in these international waterways,” he added.