India US Sign Landmark 10 Year Defence Pact enhancing Strategic Partnership

India and the United States have signed a landmark 10-year defence pact titled the 'Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership' during the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting in Kuala Lumpur. This strategic agreement, signed by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, aims to deepen bilateral defence cooperation through enhanced coordination, intelligence sharing, technology collaboration, and defence industry partnerships across all domains including land, air, sea, space, and cyberspace. The pact reflects a growing strategic convergence critical for maintaining stability and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region, despite recent trade tensions and tariff disputes between the two nations. India views the agreement as a step toward strengthening its defence-industrial base, securing access to advanced technology, and bolstering its geostrategic role amid evolving regional security challenges. Both leaders hailed the deal as ushering in a new era of partnership, reaffirming the robustness of the US-India strategic alliance despite intermittent friction. The framework replaces the 2015 agreement and emphasizes joint logistics, maritime domain awareness, and co-production initiatives such as manufacturing jet engines in India.