Rajnath, Hegseth hold talks in Kuala Lumpur; ink pact to usher in 'new era' in defence ties

New Delhi | India and the US on Friday signed a 10-year defence framework pact that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described as a "signal" of growing bilateral strategic ties even as Washington vowed to work closely with New Delhi to ensure a free and an open Indo-Pacific.

Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed the framework agreement for the 'US-India major defence partnership' pact following their wide-ranging talks in Kuala Lumpur that focused on boosting strategic ties across all its pillars.

The signing of the agreement came amid efforts by the two sides to repair ties that have hit their lowest point in nearly two decades over Washington's slapping of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.

The framework pact is intended to provide a broader vision and policy direction to deepen bilateral defence cooperation. It was firmed up as the validity of a similar pact signed in 2015 is coming to an end.

Describing his talks with Hegseth as "fruitful", Singh said the framework agreement 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. It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership," Singh said on social media.

"Defence will remain as the major pillar of our bilateral relations. Our partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region," he said.

On his part, Hegseth said the agreement "advances our defence partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence." "We're enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defense ties have never been stronger," he said.

Hegseth and Singh are in Kuala Lumpur to attend a meeting ofa grouping of nations comprising ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member states and some of its dialogue partners.

The meeting was constructive and the delegation-level talks were followed by a one-to-one meeting.

An Indian readout said Singh and Hegseth appreciated the continuing momentum in the bilateral defence cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to further build upon the mutually beneficial partnership across all its pillars.

"They reviewed the ongoing defence issues and the challenges that persist and deliberated upon the ongoing defence industry and technology collaborations," it said.

"The secretary of war reiterated that India is a priority country for the US in defence cooperation and they were committed to work closely with India to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific," the defence ministry said in the readout.

It said the 2025 framework marks a new chapter to further transform the partnership over the next 10 years and that it is intended to provide a unified vision and policy direction to deepen defence cooperation.

The India-US defence cooperation has been on an upswing in the last few years.

Around 10 years back, the US designated India a "Major Defence Partner" paving way for sharing of critical military equipment and technology.

The two countries have also signed key defence and security deals over the past few years, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries to use each other's bases for repair and replenishment of supplies.

The two sides also signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018 which provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for the sale of high-end technology from the US to India.

In October 2020, India and the US sealed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) agreement to further boost bilateral defence ties.

The pact provides for sharing of high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between the two countries.