WASHINGTON / NEW DELHI — The United States and India have formally entered a landmark ten-year defence framework agreement, signalling a deepening of military and strategic cooperation, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday.
According to the Pentagon, the agreement was signed during a meeting between Secretary Hegseth and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Kuala Lumpur, where they described the pact as a “cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence.” The framework commits both countries to sustained collaboration in defence strategy, technology sharing, joint exercises and logistical integration over the next decade.
Indian officials called the agreement a “new chapter” in bilateral defence ties, noting that despite recent trade tensions between the two nations, the long-term pact underscores the strength of their security partnership. Under the framework, the two governments commit to expanded co-production of defence equipment, streamlined interoperability of forces, enhanced intelligence-sharing, and joint maritime and aerospace capabilities.
Analysts say the timing of the agreement is strategic: it comes as India seeks to reduce dependency on Russian military hardware and as the U.S. works to bolster its presence in the Indo-Pacific region amidst Chinese assertiveness. The pact places India firmly into Washington’s sphere of advanced defence partnerships, alongside other key allies in the region.
