Kuala lumpur: ASEAN has collectively determined to preserve regional peace, security and prosperity through the ASEAN Defence Senior Officials’ Meeting (ADSOM) 2025 held in Desaru, Kota Tinggi today.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), in a statement, said that the meeting chaired by Defence Ministry secretary-general Lokman Hakim Ali as ADSOM chair had submitted 10 new initiatives for consideration and approval by the 19th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) this October.

The statement highlighted three main areas to strengthen cooperation, enhance the level of operational preparedness and address increasingly complex security challenges. Firstly, ASEAN reaffirmed its cohesion and centrality as the core of cooperation. Secondly, several key initiatives were agreed upon to strengthen defence cooperation and collective resilience among ASEAN member states.

MINDEF further informed that the meeting served as a catalyst for the upcoming ADMM and ADMM-Plus preparations, with its outcomes to be put forward to the ministerial level. This is to ensure ASEAN remains ready to address current and future security challenges and to build and strengthen a conducive and beneficial environment for ASEAN’s future growth.

ADSOM gathered senior defence officials from all member states, with Timor-Leste participating as an observer. The meeting also saw the involvement of the ASEAN Secretariat.