Strengthening Global Cooperation Against Terrorism in the Asia-Pacific Region
Collective Action Against Terrorism Emphasized
Highlighting the urgent need for global collaboration to combat terrorism, Major General Kulveer Singh, the commander of the Anti-Terrorism and Jungle Warfare School, stated on Wednesday that the ADMM-Plus framework has emerged as a robust pillar for multilateral cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. Speaking at the 16th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) working group, co-chaired by India and Malaysia, he emphasized that this platform reflects the seriousness with which participating nations address the challenge of terrorism. Major General Singh remarked, "Countering terrorism is not merely a technical or military issue; it is a matter that impacts every citizen's life, the stability of our societies, and the future of our region. We have gathered here with a shared objective to enhance our collective capacity to prevent, respond to, and recover from terrorism."
Terrorism Remains a Persistent Threat
He further noted that terrorism continues to be one of the most persistent and adaptable threats to international peace and security. Over the past two decades, various dimensions of terrorism have evolved, with alarming statistics indicating that more than 400,000 lives have been lost globally due to terrorism. He pointed out that only 64 countries worldwide remain unaffected by its impact. During a press interaction, Major General Singh mentioned that this meeting marks the second gathering of experts in Delhi since last year's session. He also shared that the final planning conference for the Table Top Exercise (TTX) will take place in Malaysia this year, where participating delegations will study the counter-terrorism processes and operational methods adopted by ASEAN member states.
Future Exercises and Training
He added that the outcomes of the TTX will be implemented in the Field Training Exercise (FTX) scheduled for next year in India. The lessons learned from this TTX will be applied to the framework developed for the FTX, which will take place at the Anti-Terrorism and Jungle Warfare Training Center in Mizoram.