·
Rajnath & Hegseth meet on the margins
of 12th ADMM-Plus in Kuala Lumpur
·
Ink 10-year framework for US-India major
defence partnership
·
“Defence
will remain as the major pillar of India-US relations”
·
India is a priority country for US in defence
cooperation, we’re committed to work closely with India to ensure a free & open
Indo-Pacific: Mr Pete Hegseth
The 10-year framework aims
to provide a unified vision and policy direction to deepen bilateral defence
cooperation and marks a “new chapter” in the strategic partnership.
Rajnath Singh said in a
post on X that the framework “signals our growing strategic convergence” and
will “herald a new decade of partnership,” underscoring defence as a major
pillar of bilateral relations.
Hegseth, in his post,
noted that the framework “advances the bilateral defence partnership—a
cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence.”
India and the US
continue to enhance cooperation through joint
military exercises, information sharing, defence industrial collaboration, and
technology partnerships with regional and global partners.
Raksha
Mantri Rajnath Singh met with US Secretary of War Mr Pete Hegseth on the sidelines
of 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting - Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
on October 31, 2025. The meeting was constructive and the delegation-level talks
were followed by a one-to-one meeting.
The
two leaders appreciated the continuing momentum in the bilateral defence cooperation
and reaffirmed their commitment to further build upon the mutually beneficial partnership
across all its pillars. They reviewed the ongoing defence issues & the challenges
that persist and deliberated upon the ongoing defence industry and technology collaborations.
At a time of increasing geopolitical uncertainties, both leaders agreed to work
together to address challenges.
The
Secretary of War reiterated that India is a priority country for the US in defence
cooperation and they were committed to work closely with India to ensure a free
and open Indo-Pacific.
After
the meeting, both leaders signed the ‘framework for the US-India major defence partnership’
which will usher a new era in an already strong defence partnership. The 2025 framework
marks a new chapter to further transform the partnership over the next 10 years.
It is intended to provide a unified vision and policy direction to deepen defence
cooperation.
Through
a post on X, Raksha Mantri exuded confidence that the framework will provide policy
direction to the entire spectrum of the India-US defence relationship. “It is a
signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership.
Defence will remain as the major pillar of our bilateral relations. Our partnership
is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region,” he wrote.
In
a post, Mr Pete Hegseth stated that the framework advances the bilateral defence
partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence. “We’re enhancing
our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defense
ties have never been stronger,” he wrote.
India
and US continue to expand and deepen defence relationship through military-to-military
exercises and activities, information sharing, collaboration with like-minded regional
and global partners, defence industrial, science and technology cooperation and
defence coordination mechanisms.