India and the US have signed a framework agreement to expand defense cooperation over the next 10 years.
The pact was announced after a meeting between US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh in Kuala Lumpur.
The agreement will enhance coordination, information sharing, and tech cooperation and advance regional stability and deterrence, Hegseth stated on X.
This development comes as both nations are trying to finalize a trade deal amid heightened tensions following US President Donald Trump imposing 50% tariffs on India, which included a 25% penalty for purchasing Russian oil and arms.
The agreement is expected to provide policy direction across the entire spectrum of the India-US defense relationship.
It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership. Defense will remain a major pillar of our bilateral relations. Our partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region, Singh emphasized in a post on X.
According to Pramit Pal Chaudhuri of the Eurasia Group think tank, the agreement was initially intended to conclude in July-August, but was delayed due to India's dissatisfaction with Trump's comments related to his role in resolving the conflict with Pakistan.
The pact adds to a series of agreements aimed at enhancing military interoperability, technology access, and cooperation between the two nations' defense sectors.
India and the US have been progressively strengthening their defense ties, a subject prominently discussed during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US in February, where Trump announced billions worth of military equipment sales to India, paving the way for New Delhi to acquire F-35 stealth warplanes.
However, India's reliance on discounted Russian oil and its longstanding military relationship with Moscow poses challenges in US-India relations.
In recent months, India has signaled a willingness to increase energy and defense purchases from the US.
The two countries are engaged in high-stakes trade negotiations, with hopes of reaching a long-anticipated agreement by November.
With inputs from Soutik Biswas, India correspondent with the BBC.
