Kuala lumpur: The defense chiefs of the United States and India signed a 10-year road map for bilateral defense cooperation during their talks in Kuala Lumpur, as they seek to deepen joint deterrence efforts in the Indo-Pacific amid China's growing assertiveness.
According to Yonhap News Agency, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inked the 2025 Framework for the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership that charts a shared course for deterrence and interoperability, according to the Pentagon. Hegseth called the framework a "significant step" for the two militaries, anticipating that it will pave the way for "deeper and more meaningful" collaboration.
"It underscores America's long-term commitment to our shared security and our strong partnership between our countries," the secretary said. "We have a major defense partnership that is ongoing and may be even more powerful by this agreement."
During their talks, Hegseth and Singh reaffirmed the two countries' commitment to a "strong" and "dynamic" defense partnership. "Secretary Hegseth and Minister Singh reaffirmed the critical importance of the U.S.-India defense partnership in promoting peace, stability, and a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond," the Pentagon said in a readout.
"They highlighted the significant progress made in recent years in deepening defense ties by increasing the frequency and complexity of military exercises and strengthening common capabilities through new defense procurements," it added.
The meeting came after tensions flared up between the U.S. and India as the U.S. announced an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian products in response to India's purchase of Russian oil, which Washington said helps Russia's war operations against Ukraine.