Published on: November 3, 2025

NDIA–US 10-YEAR DEFENCE PARTNERSHIP FRAMEWORK

NDIA–US 10-YEAR DEFENCE PARTNERSHIP FRAMEWORK

NEWS

  • India and the United States have signed a 10-year Framework for the US–India Major Defence Partnership, marking a deepening of their strategic and defence cooperation.
  • The agreement was finalized during a bilateral meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting – Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

HIGHLIGHTS

Background of India–US Defence Relations

  • 2013: Joint Declaration on Defence Cooperation.
  • 2015: First 10-year Defence Framework Agreement.
  • 2016–2020: Signing of key “foundational” pacts:
    • LEMOA (2016): Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement.
    • COMCASA (2018): Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement.
    • BECA (2020): Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geospatial Intelligence.
    • GSOMIA: General Security of Military Information Agreement.
  • 2024: Added Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) and MoU on Liaison Officers to enhance operational cooperation.

Key Features of the 2025 Framework

  • Aims to provide a unified vision and policy direction for bilateral defence cooperation for the next decade.
  • Seeks to promote joint research, technology sharing, and co-production of defence equipment.
  • Reinforces defence as a major pillar of the India–US strategic partnership.
  • Focus on interoperability, information sharing, and capacity-building.

Significance

  • Strategic Convergence: Reflects growing alignment on Indo-Pacific and global security challenges.
  • Operational Depth: Enables long-term planning and stability in joint military exercises and defence trade.
  • Geopolitical Signal: Despite tariff disputes and energy policy frictions, defence ties remain resilient.

Do You Know?

  • SOSA: Legally non-binding; ensures reciprocal priority for defence goods and services—India is the 18th partner nation.
  • Liaison Officers: India to post its first officer at US Special Operations Command (Florida) to enhance real-time coordination.