NEW DELHI: Amidst the ongoing uncertainty between India and the United States (US) regarding tariffs, the two countries have extended their defence framework agreement by another 10 years.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had a fruitful meeting with his US counterpart, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, in Kuala Lumpur.
Informing about the development, Rajnath Singh said on X, “We signed the 10 years ‘Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership’. This will usher in a new era in our already strong defence partnership.”
His US counterpart, after the signing event, said, “This advances our defence partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence. We’re enhancing our coordination, information sharing, and technology cooperation. Our defence ties have never been stronger,” added Hegseth.
This defence framework will provide policy direction to the entire spectrum of the India–US defence relationship.
The Indian Defence Minister termed it as a signal of the two nations’ growing strategic convergence and said it would herald a new decade of partnership.
“Defence will remain a major pillar of our bilateral relations. Our partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region,” Rajnath said.
It was in June 2015 that India and the US had inked a similar defence framework.
As per the US statement at that time, highlighting the growth of defence cooperation between the two countries, Defence Secretary Ash Carter and Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had signed a 10-year defence framework agreement.
As reported earlier by The New Indian Express, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to attend the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting – Plus (ADMM-Plus) on November 1.