Defence cooperation is emerging as the third pillar of India's Act East Policy after trade and connectivity. Examine with reference to India-ASEAN relations.

India's ties with ASEAN began as an economic link when India became a Dialogue Partner in 1992. They became a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022 [2]. The maiden ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum (October 2026) shows that security is now becoming a pillar of its own [1].

Trade and connectivity: the first two pillars

• AITIGA is under review, and two-way trade reached about USD 128 billion in 2025-26 [3].
• The India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and its planned extension to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam were endorsed in the 2024 Joint Statement [4].

Defence: the emerging third pillar

• Operational: The first ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME) in 2023 had 9 ships and 7 ASEAN navies, and it ended in the South China Sea [5]. A second edition will be held in India alongside the International Fleet Review 2026 [6].
• Institutional: India co-chairs the ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Counter-Terrorism with Malaysia for 2024–27 [7].
• Industrial: The BrahMos shore-based anti-ship missile contract with the Philippines (2022) was India's first BrahMos export [8]. Rajnath Singh has now called for joint research and co-production [1].
• Maritime doctrine: India's priorities are maritime domain awareness, interoperability and underwater surveillance. SAGAR/MAHASAGAR is aligned with ASEAN-led mechanisms [1].
• Link to the other pillars: More than half of India's trade passes through the South China Sea and the Malacca Strait [6]. Defence cooperation therefore protects trade and connectivity.

Limitations: a pillar still under construction

• Selective participation: Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar were absent from AIME [5]. ASEAN works by consensus, which slows joint defence steps.
• Sales, not co-production: BrahMos Aerospace is an India-Russia joint venture [8], which limits how freely the technology can be shared with third countries.
• Hedging: ASEAN states do not want to be seen taking sides on China. India therefore stresses international law and every country's freedom to make "independent choices" [1].
• Talk over commitments: The forum's goals have no budgets or deadlines, and AIME has been held only once so far.

Defence ties have moved beyond symbolism to exercises, working groups and arms sales, but they are still thinner than trade and connectivity. Three steps would make defence a true third pillar: holding AIME regularly, feeding forum ideas into ADMM-Plus, and moving from exports to Aatmanirbhar co-production. This would carry forward SAGAR's vision of security and growth for all in the region.