US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh signed a major defense deal at the ASEAN summit in Malaysia on Friday, as the two countries work to repair recently soured relations.
Both Hegseth and Singh praised the agreement, titled “Framework for a US-India Major Defense Partnership”, which is expected to last for a decade.
In an online post, Hegseth described it as “a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence.”
He said the agreement will help in deepening coordination, intelligence sharing and technology cooperation between the two countries.
“This is an important step forward for both of our militaries, a roadmap to deeper and more meaningful cooperation ahead,” Hegseth told reporters after the signing.
In turn, India’s Singh appreciated the “fruitful meeting” with his US counterpart and said the framework will “usher in a new era” in India-US defense ties.
He said it reflects the “growing strategic convergence” between the two countries and is important for the Indo-Pacific region.
Ahead of the meeting, the two sides were also expected to discuss a review of India’s plans to purchase US military hardware.
Resolving strained US-India relations
Relations between India and the US are at an all-time low after US President Donald Trump imposed a 50% levy on some Indian exports, a far cry from the cordial relations between the two leaders during Trump’s first term.
The conflict partly stems from India’s commitment to buy Russian oil. The Trump administration says the sales are funding Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
The US tariffs prompted India to respond by halting purchases of US defense equipment.
Last week, Trump claimed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “assured” him that India would stop buying Russian oil. Indian officials have neither confirmed nor denied Trump’s claims.
However, both leaders have tried to defuse tensions, with Modi recently thanking Trump for his wishes on the Hindu festival of Diwali.
The Indian Prime Minister promised close cooperation on fighting terrorism, without mentioning the disputes centered on tariffs and oil.
Edited by: Darko Janjevic