India and US Defence Cooperation Framework: India and the United States have signed a new Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership. The Ministry of Defence said this new deal will give “a unified vision and policy direction to deepen defence cooperation” between the two countries for the next ten years. The agreement was signed on Friday when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth during the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
This new framework will cover many areas like defence trade, joint research, military training, and industrial cooperation. It will help both nations work together more closely on security and technology. According to the statement, “The 2025 framework marks a new chapter to further transform the partnership over the next ten years,” and it aims to “provide a unified vision and policy direction to deepen defence cooperation.”
A Stronger Partnership
This new framework will replace the old 10-year defence agreement signed in 2015. It will also include the India-US Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap that was agreed upon in May 2023. The idea is to create a clear long-term system for defence trade, advanced technology sharing, and joint development of modern military systems.
Rajnath Singh posted on social media that India and the US are now working to make defence trade, technology exchange, and buying processes faster and simpler. He said both sides are looking into reviewing the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and are discussing a Reciprocal Defense Procurement (RDP) agreement. This new RDP plan will allow Indian companies to enter the US defence market and do business more easily.
Singh shared his excitement in a post on X, saying the new framework will help give direction to the whole 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.
Focus on Regional Stability
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also praised the new framework. He wrote online that it strengthens the defence partnership between India and the US, calling it a key part of maintaining peace and stability in the region. He added, “We’re enhancing our coordination, information sharing, and technology cooperation. Our defence ties have never been stronger.”
During their meeting, both leaders talked about the current security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region and agreed to continue working closely to build stronger defence industry ties. Hegseth called India “a priority partner” in the US Indo-Pacific strategy and promised to support New Delhi in ensuring a “free and open Indo-Pacific.”
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The signing of this new framework follows a promise made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in February. Both nations had agreed to finish a new 10-year defence plan by 2025. The same plan was also discussed when External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Hegseth in Washington in July, where they reviewed progress in defence industry cooperation and new technology partnerships.
