This project examines the approaches of selected ADMM and ADMM-Plus countries towards the development of defence diplomacy and cooperation in the region. Even as the ADMM-Plus marks its 10th anniversary in 2020, both mechanisms continue to face persistent challenges that affect their internal cohesion and ASEAN centrality. Key challenges include Sino-US competition, the ambivalent attitudes of some ASEAN member states towards multilateralism vis-à-vis their relations with extra-regional partners, as well as the rise of alternative, non-ASEAN-centric forms of multilateral security cooperation. More broadly, black swan events (as seen in the COVID-19 outbreak, where governments focus inwards to address domestic challenges) could have an impact on the perceived efficacy of the multilateral order. Given this context, the project seeks to forecast the trajectory and potential problems of the ADMM and ADMM-Plus, and identify the next steps for the two platforms.