India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh met with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting – Plus (ADMM-Plus) on October 31, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, further advancing the momentum of bilateral defense ties between the two strategic partners.

According to a statement issued by the Indian Embassy, the meeting was described as “constructive,” featuring delegation-level discussions followed by a one-on-one meeting between the two leaders.

“The two leaders appreciated the continuing momentum in the bilateral defense cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to further build upon the mutually beneficial partnership across all its pillars,” the statement said. “They reviewed the ongoing defense issues & the challenges that persist and deliberated upon the ongoing defense industry and technology collaborations. At a time of increasing geopolitical uncertainties, both leaders agreed to work together to address challenges.”

Secretary Hegseth reaffirmed that India remains a “priority country” for the United States in defense cooperation, underscoring Washington’s intent to work closely with New Delhi to maintain a “free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Following the discussions, both leaders signed the ‘Framework for the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership,’ marking a significant milestone in bilateral strategic relations. The 2025 framework is designed to guide defense cooperation over the next decade, offering a unified vision and policy direction to strengthen collaboration in defense technology, industry, and security.

Minister Singh, in a social media post, expressed optimism that the agreement would elevate the defense partnership to a new level of strategic convergence.

“It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership. Defense 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 wrote.

Secretary Hegseth echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the importance of the framework in bolstering stability and deterrence in the region.

“We’re enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defense ties have never been stronger,” he stated.

The Embassy’s statement noted that the India–U.S. defense relationship continues to deepen across multiple domains – including joint military exercises, defense industrial cooperation, science and technology collaboration, intelligence sharing, and coordination with regional and global partners.

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