Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh participated in the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting - Plus (ADMM-Plus) in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta on Thursday.

Rajnath Singh urged ASEAN nations to develop regional security initiatives that are dialogue and "development-oriented."

Also, Singh promised to nurture "result-oriented cooperation" with ASEAN countries to enhance "maritime security in the region."

Underlining the theme of the ADMM-Plus, the minister affirmed India's commitment to ensuring "peace, prosperity and security" in Southeast Asia.

According to an Indian Defence Ministry statement, he stressed "the role of dialogue and diplomacy in enduring peace and ensuring global stability."

Besides, Singh reiterated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks that "this is not an era of war", before noting that the world should give up the "us versus them" attitude to see everyone prospering on the planet.

India-ASEAN Forging Closer Ties

Ties between ASEAN and India have witnessed a noticeable upswing in almost every field in recent years.

For instance, bilateral trade between India and ASEAN touched $131.5 billion in the last financial year.

On the other hand, defence ties between ASEAN and New Delhi have expanded with the countries. Earlier this year, the countries of the Southeast Asian bloc took part in the first ASEAN-India maritime exercise.