Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III concluded his engagements with counterparts in Laos today, where he attended the 11th annual ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus). His participation reflects the importance of ASEAN centrality to the Department of Defense, and highlights the practical cooperation with ASEAN since the United States elevated its relationship with ASEAN to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022.
ADMM-Plus Plenary Session
On November 21, Secretary Austin participated in the ADMM-Plus plenary session, marking the fourth ADMM-Plus meeting of his tenure. In his remarks, Secretary Austin emphasized the U.S. commitment to ASEAN centrality as a key pillar to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific. He detailed how current and future U.S. security cooperation with ASEAN partners is contributing to a more stable and prosperous region. Secretary Austin discussed plans for the second-ever ASEAN-U.S. Maritime Exercise, which will be conducted in 2025. Secretary Austin also discussed challenges, including coercive PRC activities in the South China Sea, the violence in Burma, and the Russian war against Ukraine.
Following the plenary, the Department released the first-ever U.S. Department of Defense Vision Statement for a Prosperous and Secure Southeast Asia, which detailed U.S. initiatives that will continue to implement the U.S.-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025 and beyond.
Engagements with Allies and Partners
Secretary Austin also met together with close allies from Australia, Japan, the Philippines, and the Republic of Korea, as well as separately with his counterpart from India.
The Secretary met with Australian Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy, Japanese Minister of Defense Nakatani Gen, Philippines Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro, and Republic of Korea Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun. During this unprecedented meeting of U.S. allies, the defense leaders underscored their shared commitment to advance a vision for a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, where international law and sovereignty are respected. The full readout can be found here:
In his meeting with India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, both leaders shared appreciation for the growth of the U.S.-India defense relationship and successful completion of several complex bilateral and multilateral military exercises this year, including TIGER TRIUMPH and MALABAR. They noted the commencement of the deployment process of the first Liaison Officer from India in U.S. Special Operations Command as another example of deeper defense cooperation. The Secretary and Minister Singh hailed the two countries' deepening defense industrial cooperation, taking note of sustained progress on initiatives outlined in the Roadmap for U.S.-India Defense Industrial Cooperation. And they discussed ways to increase technology cooperation through INDUS-X. Secretary Austin detailed additional opportunities for collaboration in maritime domain awareness through bilateral and multilateral initiatives.
Secretary Austin's twelfth trip to the Indo-Pacific region continues with a final stop in Fiji. Each of the Secretary's stops thus far — in Australia, the Philippines, and Laos — has underscored the longstanding U.S. commitment to strengthening the Indo-Pacific's dynamic security architecture.
