India and the United States on Friday renewed a 10-year framework to deepen their defence cooperation during a meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership was signed on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus.

The agreement comes as India continues to balance its ties with major global powers, while working to revive a trade deal with the US and maintaining its partnership with Russia. The two sides recently resumed talks to move forward on the trade deal that had stalled after former US President Donald Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on Indian goods and later penalised India over its purchase of Russian oil.

Rajnath Singh said the new framework marks an important step forward in bilateral ties. “Had a fruitful meeting with my US counterpart. We signed the 10 years ‘Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership’. This will usher in a new era in our already strong defence partnership. This Defence Framework will provide policy direction to the entire spectrum of the India-US Defence Relationship,” Singh wrote on X.

He said the pact shows the growing strategic understanding between both nations and sets the tone for the next decade of partnership. “Defence will remain the major pillar of our bilateral relations. Our partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open, and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region.”

Both India and the US have repeatedly stressed the need for a rule-based order to maintain peace and stability in the Indo Pacific. Meanwhile, China has been expanding its military presence and pushing regional countries to support its maritime ambitions, challenging this balance.

Last year, the two countries also signed an agreement to ensure the mutual supply of defence goods and services, aimed at strengthening industrial cooperation and tackling unexpected supply chain disruptions in times of national security needs.

Pete Hegseth said that India and the US now share the strongest defence ties ever. “I just met with @rajnathsingh to sign a 10-year US-India Defense Framework. This advances our defense partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence. We’re enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation,” Hegseth wrote on X.