Overview
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed the framework on Oct. 31 in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of ADMM-Plus.
- Official readouts say the agreement provides policy direction for interoperability, information sharing and technology cooperation, building on decade-long frameworks signed in 2005 and 2015.
- The Pentagon said both sides completed an action plan to modernize the partnership and accelerate progress on priority areas over the next two years.
- The move follows recent tensions over steep U.S. tariffs linked to India’s Russian oil purchases, yet both governments emphasized steady security cooperation.
- Specific procurements and industry tie-ups remain under review, with reports pointing to a potential P-8I acquisition review and discussions on HAL–GE F414 engine production in India.