The pact was signed at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his American counterpart, Peter Hegseth.
New Delhi: In a major development aimed at reinforcing strategic cooperation, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Friday. The meeting culminated in the signing of a 10-year framework for the US-India major defence partnership, setting a roadmap for the next decade of bilateral collaboration.
The talks, described as constructive and forward-looking, began with a detailed delegation-level dialogue followed by a one-on-one interaction between the two leaders. Both sides reviewed the current state of defence ties, discussed evolving regional challenges, and reaffirmed their shared vision of maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Rajnath underscored that the newly signed framework would “provide policy direction to the entire spectrum of the India-US defence relationship and herald a new decade of partnership.” Emphasizing India’s growing role in global security architecture, he said, “Defence will remain the major pillar of our bilateral relations. Our partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.”
Hegseth echoed similar sentiments, reiterating that India remains a priority partner for Washington. “We are committed to working closely with India to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he said, adding that the new framework would advance bilateral cooperation in defence technology, information sharing, and joint exercises.
The 10-year defence framework (2025-2035) is designed to strengthen coordination between the two nations across key domains, including defence industry collaboration, joint research and development, co-production of advanced systems, and enhanced interoperability between the armed forces. It also seeks to boost cooperation in emerging areas such as cyber defence, artificial intelligence, space and maritime security.
In recent years, India and the United States have steadily expanded defence cooperation through initiatives like the COMCASA, LEMOA, and BECA agreements, alongside regular joint military exercises such as Yudh Abhyas, Cope India and Malabar.
The new framework, officials said, will serve as a “unified policy vision” to deepen mutual trust and further transform the India-US defence partnership into a cornerstone of regional stability.