India – US 10 Year Defence Cooperation Framework

Amidst ongoing trade and geopolitical challenges, India and the United States have signed a new 10-year Defence Cooperation Framework aimed at deepening strategic ties and enhancing regional stability.

Why in the News?

• India and the US signed India-US 10 years Defence Cooperation Framework for a major defence partnership that gives a roadmap for cooperation over the next 10 years. It will include joint capacity building for likeminded partners in Asia, Africa and island countries in the Indian Ocean Region.
• Pact, signed following a bilateral meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his US counterpart Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting – Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur, marks next phase in strategic ties.

About the India–US 10-Year Defence Cooperation Framework:

• India and the United States signed a landmark 10 years Defence Cooperation Framework, marking a major step toward strengthening long-term strategic cooperation in the defence sector.
• The agreement was signed following 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.
• The new framework advances the India–US Major Defence Partnership, reaffirming it as a cornerstone of regional stability and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.
• Earlier, in February 2025, after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, both sides announced plans for the new 10-year defence framework, reaffirming their unwavering commitment to a dynamic, multi-domain defence partnership.
• Despite recent trade related tensions between New Delhi and Washington over tariffs during July and August, defence relations have remained resilient, showing no visible decline in military cooperation or strategic engagement.
• The India-US 10 years Defence Cooperation Framework aims to provide a unified vision and policy direction to deepen defence cooperation across multiple domains, including technology transfer, joint production, and operational interoperability.
• The new framework subsumes the previous 10-year Defence Partnership Agreement signed in 2015 and the India–US Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap finalized in May 2023.
• Moreover, it institutionalises a long term mechanism to streamline defence trade, technology sharing, co-development of advanced weapon systems, and joint research initiatives.
• Through this framework, both nations seek to enhance interoperability, promote industrial collaboration, and contribute to a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific region.

Objectives of the Framework:

• To enhance military interoperability, enabling the armed forces of India and the U.S. to operate more seamlessly together across domains (land, sea, air, space, cyber).
• It aims to expand defence sales, co-production and co-development of advanced military equipment, shifting from buyer-seller dynamics to a strategic industrial partnership.
• It is to streamline arms transfer regulations and procurement regimes (including review of the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations – ITAR) to enable smoother flow of technologies and systems.
• It also aims to deepen defence industrial cooperation including integration of supply chains, joint R&D, indigenous manufacturing (Make in India), and innovation ecosystems.
• It will focus to strengthen intelligence sharing, logistics support, maintenance & repair frameworks, and regional security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

Background of the India–US 10-Year Defence Cooperation Framework:

• The foundation of India – US defence cooperation was laid through the Joint Declaration on Defence Cooperation signed in September 2013, followed by the Framework for the US – India Defence Relationship in 2015. These agreements outlined a shared vision to strengthen collaboration across defence, technology, and strategic areas.
• Between 2016 and 2020, both nations consolidated their partnership by signing four critical defence agreements. These were:
  • The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016,
  • The Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018, and
  • The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) in 2020.
    Together, these foundational pacts enhanced military interoperability and secure information sharing between the two armed forces.
• In August 2024, India and the US expanded their strategic cooperation further by signing the Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) and a Memorandum of Agreement on the Assignment of Liaison Officers.
  • These accords boosted logistical coordination, ensured supply chain resilience, and deepened bilateral military ties.
• The defence partnership also continued to evolve through regular joint exercises and naval engagements.
  • In September 2025, Indian and American troops participated in Exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ — a two-week-long military drill held at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. It aimed at enhancing operational coordination in extreme conditions.
• Earlier the same year, the US submarine support vessel USS Frank Cable made a scheduled port visit to Chennai, marking the second visit by the US Military Sealift Command to the region in two years, symbolising the growing maritime collaboration and trust between the two nations.

Significance of the India-US 10 years Defence Cooperation Framework:

• The 2025 framework is intended to provide a unified vision and policy direction to deepen defence cooperation between the two countries. 
• The framework will usher in a new era in the already strong defence partnership between the two countries and marks a new chapter in further transforming it over the next 10 years.
• The framework will provide policy direction to the entire spectrum of the India-US defence relationship.
• The partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. It will strengthen their efforts to counter China’s assertive behaviour in the region.
• The framework will guide cooperation across defence trade, industrial collaboration, research and development, and military-to-military engagements, building on a series of earlier foundational agreements.

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Challenges & Considerations:

• India’s traditional procurement relationships (e.g., with Russia) and non-alignment/autonomy concerns may limit rapid integration.
• Technology transfer and co-production often face regulatory, commercial and security constraints (e.g., ITAR, export controls).
• Ensuring that the defence industrial cooperation translates into meaningful domestic manufacturing and not just import substitution.
• Managing strategic balance: deepening U.S. ties without alienating other partners or compromising India’s strategic autonomy.
• Implementation risk: translating the framework from policy to action over the next decade (2025-2035) will require consistent effort.

Conclusion:

The India–US 10-Year Defence Cooperation Framework (2025–2035) marks a major milestone in strengthening bilateral defence and strategic relations. It not only reinforces India’s commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific but also enhances its defence capabilities through technology sharing, joint production, and military collaboration. For UPSC, APSC, and other State PCS aspirants, this framework is a key topic linking India’s foreign policy, defence diplomacy, and strategic autonomy, reflecting how New Delhi balances global partnerships while safeguarding national interests in an evolving geopolitical order.

Sources:

1. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-us-sign-new-10-year-defence-partnership-framework-amid-tariff-tensions-10338454/
2. https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/india-us-ink-new-framework-to-deepen-major-defence-partnership-for-next-decade/article70225458.ece