KUALA LUMPUR — The United States and India have signed a landmark 10-year defence framework agreement, deepening military cooperation and reaffirming their commitment to a free, secure, and stable Indo-Pacific region, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday.
Hegseth, who met with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Malaysia, said the agreement represents a “cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence”, enhancing coordination, intelligence sharing, and joint technological development between the two democracies.
“Our defence ties have never been stronger,” Hegseth posted on X (formerly Twitter), calling the new framework “ambitious” and a “roadmap for deeper and more meaningful collaboration ahead.”
The deal outlines long-term cooperation across key areas such as defence innovation, joint military exercises, logistics support, and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and space-based systems.
Strategic Alignment in a Shifting Indo-Pacific
Hegseth described the partnership as “one of the most consequential relationships in the world,” built on shared democratic values and mutual interests in maintaining peace and balance in the Indo-Pacific amid growing Chinese assertiveness.
“Our strategic alignment is built on mutual trust and a shared commitment to a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” he said, emphasizing that the U.S. “remains committed to India’s defence modernization and regional security ambitions.”
According to India’s Hindustan Times, both sides agreed to streamline defence production collaboration, expand officer training programs, and boost technology transfers through the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI).
Diplomatic Momentum Despite Trade Tensions
The agreement comes just days after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Malaysia — the highest-level contact since Washington imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies, a move that has strained U.S.-India relations.
Jaishankar, posting on social media after his meeting with Rubio, said he “appreciated the discussion on our bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues.”
Relations between Washington and New Delhi hit a low in August, when President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Indian imports to 50%, accusing India of indirectly supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine through discounted oil purchases. Trump has since claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to cut Russian oil imports, though India has not confirmed this.
Long-Term Partnership Amid Policy Friction
Despite ongoing trade frictions and visa restrictions — including a recent one-time $100,000 H-1B visa fee that disproportionately affects Indian workers — both nations are signalling that defence and security cooperation will remain a central pillar of their relationship.
Hegseth concluded that the pact demonstrates America’s “long-term commitment to shared security and partnership”, adding that the U.S. and India are now “better aligned than ever before to meet global challenges together.”
The 10-year framework sets the stage for what analysts call a strategic recalibration — one that strengthens military collaboration even as economic tensions persist between two of the world’s largest democracies.