¨
A 10-year
framework has been signed by the India and US to strengthen Defence
Partnership.
¨ The goal of the framework is to secure
long-term stability in defence ties.
¨ The agreement was finalized after a bilateral
meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Defence Secretary Pete
Hegseth.
¨ The meeting was held during the 12th ASEAN
Defence Ministers’ Meeting – Plus in Kuala Lumpur.
¨ The 2025 framework builds on earlier
announcements made in February 2025.
¨ Those came after discussions between Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump.
¨ The framework continues the path set by
earlier initiatives. These include the 2013 Joint US-India Declaration on
Defence Cooperation.
¨ It also follows the 2015 Defence Relationship
Framework.
¨ From 2016 to 2020, India and the US signed
Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016, Communications
Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018, and Basic Exchange and
Cooperation Agreement (BECA) in 2020.
¨ In August 2024, India and US finalized the
Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA).
¨ In September 2025, Indian and American forces
held a joint military exercise for two weeks.
¨
The
exercise was named Yudh Abhyas. It was held at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
