The renewal of the India- U.S. defence pact on 31 October 2025 on the sidelines of the recent ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur is a significant development in the context of their strategic partnership.[1] According to Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, “The framework will bring a new dawn in our well-established defence relationship. It is an indicator of strategic convergence and will bring about a new ten-year partnership. Defence will continue to be one of the pillars of our bilateral relations.” The U.S. Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, stated: “The framework builds on our defence partnership, which is a foundation of stability in the region and deterring power. Our defence relationship has never been better.”[2] This framework was initiated in 2005, with the signing of 10 Year Defence Framework Agreement aimed at expanding military collaboration, sharing technologies, and further encouraging joint research efforts. This framework was used as a structural foundation for the subsequent institutional agreements that facilitated interoperability and strategic coordination between the two countries.
