Overview
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth signed the Framework for the U.S.-India Major Defence Partnership on Oct. 31 on the sidelines of ADMM-Plus in Malaysia.
- Official statements say the agreement will guide the full spectrum of defence ties, with plans to enhance coordination, information sharing and technology cooperation.
- Both sides reviewed ongoing defence issues and reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation, including defence industry and technology collaboration.
- The signing follows recent strains over U.S. tariffs linked to India’s Russian oil purchases, with diplomatic contacts and trade negotiations now back on track.
- Reporting indicates procurement and industrial topics were discussed, including a possible purchase of Boeing P-8I aircraft and a proposed HAL–GE F414 engine production arrangement, which remain under negotiation.