Kuala Lumpur, Oct 31 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday met US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur, where the two leaders signed a 10-year ‘Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership’ heralding a new era in deepening the defence ties between the two nations. The bilateral engagement was held on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), scheduled to begin on November 1.

“Had a fruitful meeting with my US counterpart Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur. We signed the 10 years ‘Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership’. This will usher in a new era in our already strong defence partnership,” Singh posted on X following the meeting. “This Defence Framework will provide policy direction to the entire spectrum of the India-US Defence Relationship. It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership,” the post added.

Singh emphasised that defence would continue to serve as a major pillar of India-US bilateral relations, noting that partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. Sharing details of his talks with the Indian Defence Minister, Hegseth posted on X, “I just met with Rajnath Singh to sign a 10-year US-India Defence Framework. This advances our defence partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence. We're enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defence ties have never been stronger.”

Earlier on Thursday, Singh arrived in Malaysia on a two-day visit to attend the ADMM-Plus. He was received at Subang Airbase by India’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, B.N. Reddy. The 12th ADMM-Plus, being held in Kuala Lumpur, will feature discussions among ASEAN member states and eight dialogue partners, including India, the US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.

The Defence Minister is expected to address the forum on the theme 'Reflection on 15 Years of ADMM-Plus and Charting the Way Forward.' During his visit, Singh will also hold bilateral meetings with defence ministers and senior leadership from participating nations.