Overview
- Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth formalized the agreement on the sidelines of the ASEAN defense meetings in Malaysia.
- Hegseth said the framework will deepen coordination, information sharing, and technology cooperation between the two militaries.
- Indian and U.S. officials discussed India’s planned purchase of six Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft for the Indian Navy, according to prior briefings.
- Officials said the meeting could open the door to a follow-up bilateral visit by either Hegseth to India or Singh to Washington.
- In parallel engagements, the United States signed a defense cooperation MoU with Malaysia and renewed an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement, and Hegseth told China’s defense minister the U.S. would stoutly defend its interests while raising concerns about the South China Sea and Taiwan.