The India-US strategic partnership reached a pivotal milestone with the signing of a 10-year defense framework in 2025, as affirmed by US Ambassador Sergio Gor during a recent engagement in New Delhi. On Wednesday, after discussions with Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Gor took to social media platform X to laud the pact’s potential to fortify bilateral defense relations.
‘Just last year, America and India inked a 10-year defense pact, set to profoundly enhance our partnership. Expect continued joint operations and progressing sales. A robust bond indeed! Grateful to Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh for the warm hospitality,’ Gor posted. This enthusiasm underscores the growing synergy between the world’s largest democracies.
Building on this, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met a bipartisan US Congressional team—two Republicans and a Democrat—on January 25. The talks delved into trade relations, security challenges, Indo-Pacific strategies, and the Ukraine situation. Jaishankar highlighted on X the value of such congressional interactions as a cornerstone of India-US ties.
The ambassador described the deliberations as highly productive, with emphasis on advancing cooperation in defense, commerce, and essential technologies. The agreement’s origins trace back to an October 2025 sideline meeting in Malaysia at the ADMM-Plus, where Rajnath Singh and Pete Hegseth formalized the long-term vision.
A Defense Ministry release portrayed the framework as a groundbreaking initiative, offering a cohesive roadmap for the next decade’s defense engagements. Leaders commended the accelerated pace of collaboration and pledged to intensify partnerships yielding mutual gains across every domain.
Echoing this, Hegseth positioned India as a top priority for US defense strategy, vowing joint efforts toward a secure, open Indo-Pacific. Ongoing initiatives include joint military drills, data exchanges, regional alliances with aligned nations, industrial collaborations, technological advancements, and structured cooperation channels.
This pact not only solidifies existing strengths but also anticipates future challenges, fostering a resilient defense architecture that could influence global power balances in the years ahead.