India, US Sign Landmark 10-Year Defence Framework To Deepen Strategic Ties

The United States and India signed a landmark 10-year Defence Framework on Friday (31 October), marking a major step forward in their strategic partnership, the Hindustan Times reported.

Announcing the development, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the two countries' “defence ties have never been stronger.”

Hegseth, who met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for the signing, said the agreement strengthens the India-US defence partnership, calling it a “cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence.”

He added, “We're enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defense ties have never been stronger.”

The meeting was held as part of the second ASEAN-India Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting on Friday, ahead of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, scheduled for 1 November.

Rajnath Singh had earlier said that his participation in the ASEAN meetings in Kuala Lumpur aimed to “further strengthen defence and security cooperation among ASEAN member states & India and advance the ‘Act East Policy’.”

The new 10-year framework reflects growing defence and technological cooperation between New Delhi and Washington, particularly in areas such as intelligence sharing, advanced weapons systems, and joint exercises.

Over the years, the two nations have strengthened military-to-military cooperation through joint exercises such as Yudh Abhyas and Malabar, expanded intelligence sharing, and increased defence trade exceeding $20 billion.

The US State Department notes that U.S.–India security cooperation continues to expand, pointing to logistical and communications agreements such as the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) and the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA).

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