Overview
- Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed the Framework for the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of ADMM-Plus.
- Hegseth said the agreement advances deterrence and interoperability, emphasizing enhanced coordination, information sharing, and technology cooperation.
- Reporting describes core pillars that include strategic logistics, joint production, and technology transfer to deepen military interoperability and defense industrial ties.
- Singh called the framework a signal of growing strategic convergence and the start of a new era, with this marking the third decadal roadmap after similar frameworks in 2005 and 2015.
- The signing follows months of strain over U.S. tariffs on Indian goods, with officials and readouts underscoring that defense cooperation is gaining momentum as trade negotiations continue.