Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, October 31, 2025, to sign a landmark ten-year Defence Framework Agreement. This agreement signifies a strengthened commitment to bilateral defense cooperation between India and the United States.
Singh described the agreement as the beginning of a "new chapter" in India-U.S. defense cooperation. Hegseth echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of the U.S.-India relationship and its foundation built on shared interests, mutual trust, and a commitment to a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. He also posted on X, stating that the framework advances their defense partnership and enhances coordination, information sharing, and technology cooperation.
The 10-year Defence Framework aims to deepen military collaboration, capacity building, and joint initiatives across the Indo-Pacific region. It focuses on strengthening coordination, information sharing, and technology cooperation between the two countries. The agreement lays out a roadmap for deeper military collaboration and underscores America's long-term commitment to their shared security and strong partnership. "Our defense ties have never been stronger,” sources reported.
This framework has been in the works since a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former U.S. President Donald Trump, where it was identified as a key outcome.
The meeting occurred on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), where Singh is representing India. Singh noted he was delighted to meet Hegseth in person, having spoken on the phone three times prior.
Earlier in the week, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss bilateral ties and regional developments. This series of high-level engagements highlights the sustained diplomatic and strategic engagement between New Delhi and Washington.
Discussions between Singh and Hegseth have also addressed pending major U.S. defense sales to India and the need to deepen defense industrial cooperation. These discussions align with India's goal of boosting indigenous production and enhancing its security.
