A Decade of Defence: India and the US Forge Strategic Pact Amid Trade Tensions

Sat Jan 17 2026 14:37:51 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

India and the United States have signed a 10-year defence cooperation agreement to enhance military ties, despite ongoing tariff disputes that have strained relations. The pact aims at improving coordination, information sharing, and technology collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region.

In a significant development in international relations, India and the US have finalized a 10-year defence cooperation agreement, as discussed in a recent meeting between US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The agreement aims to strengthen military ties amidst ongoing trade tensions, including significant tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. This pact not only symbolizes the growing strategic partnership between the two nations but is also expected to facilitate interoperability and bolster technology access for India's defence sector.

India and the US have signed a framework agreement to expand defence cooperation over the next 10 years.

The pact was announced after a meeting between US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh in Kuala Lumpur.

The agreement will enhance coordination, information sharing and tech cooperation and advance regional stability and deterrence, Hegseth stated on social media.

This development arrives amid attempts by both nations to finalize a trade deal while navigating through recent tensions caused by President Trump's imposition of tariffs on India, particularly a 50% tariff on certain goods, which included a 25% penalty for acquiring Russian oil and arms.

The agreement is expected to guide the strategic direction of the India-US defence relationship.

Rajnath Singh remarked on social media, It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership. Defence will remain a major pillar of our bilateral relations. Our partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.

Pramit Pal Chaudhuri from the Eurasia Group think tank noted that this agreement was initially slated for completion in mid-2025, but was delayed due to diplomatic sensitivities over President Trump's remarks regarding the India-Pakistan conflict.

According to Chaudhuri, this pact is part of a broader series of agreements that enhance operational interoperability across the two militaries, facilitate technology access, and promote collaborative efforts in defence.

In recent months, India has been increasing its defence ties with the US, a topic that dominated discussions during Prime Minister Modi's visit to the US this past February, when Trump proposed increasing military sales to India significantly, which would include F-35 stealth warplanes.

Despite India's ongoing dependence on discounted Russian oil and its long-standing relationship with Moscow for arms, the US is keen on strengthening ties. India's share of Russian arms imports is diminishing as it seeks to diversify its military procurement and bolster domestic capacity.

Furthermore, India has shown readiness to enhance energy and defence procurement from the US. Currently, both nations are engaged in high-stakes trade negotiations with the aim of sealing a long-awaited agreement by November.

With contributions from Soutik Biswas, India correspondent with the BBC.