Fri Mar 21 22:08:54 UTC 2025: ## India and Malaysia to Lead Joint Counter-Terrorism Exercises
**New Delhi, March 22, 2025** – India and Malaysia will co-lead counter-terrorism exercises in the coming years, as announced at the 14th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism (EWG on CT) in New Delhi. A table-top exercise is planned for Malaysia in 2026, followed by a field training exercise in India in 2027. This initiative is part of the group’s 2024-2027 work plan.
The two-day EWG meeting, concluded March 20, brought together representatives from ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretariat, and ADMM-Plus dialogue partners including China, the US, Russia, Australia, Japan, and South Korea. Discussions focused on developing a comprehensive strategy to combat evolving terrorism and extremism, sharing experiences from participating nations’ defense forces.
Separately, the European Union (EU) hosted a technical workshop in New Delhi on preventing and countering violent extremism, coinciding with the Raisina Dialogue. This workshop, co-organized with the Netherlands Embassy, focused on best practices in prevention, de-radicalization, and rehabilitation of violent extremists, emphasizing whole-of-government approaches and collaboration on both “soft” and “hard” security measures. Participants included representatives from several EU member states and institutions, such as the Strong Cities Network.
The EU workshop builds upon the first India-EU joint workshop on online terrorist content held in 2022 and reflects the commitment to deeper counter-terrorism collaboration underscored by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a recent visit.
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