India, US ink 10-year defence pact: 'New Era' in ties, says Rajnath Singh
Kuala Lumpur (The Uttam Hindu): The 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) is being held in Malaysia. Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has arrived in Malaysia for this occasion. In Malaysia, Rajnath Singh met with US Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
The ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting is a platform for multilateral discussions on security. This meeting between Defence Minister Singh and Hegseth is taking place as part of a series of discussions between defence leaders participating in the multilateral security forum. Sharing photos of the meeting, the Indian Defence Minister wrote on Twitter, "Had a productive meeting with Peter Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur. We signed the 10-year 'US-India Major Defence Partnership Framework'. This will usher in a new era in our already strong defence partnership. This Defence Framework will provide policy direction to the entire gamut of India-US defence relations." He further wrote that defence will remain a key pillar of our bilateral relationship. Our partnership is vital to ensuring a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.
Earlier, Hegseth held separate meetings with his Malaysian and Chinese counterparts. Sharing details of his conversation with Chinese Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun, Hegseth posted on the social media platform X, "Today, I met with Chinese National Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting. It was a good and constructive meeting. I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region and emphasized US concerns about China's activities in the South China Sea, around Taiwan, and towards US allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific." He further wrote, "The United States does not seek conflict. It will continue to firmly defend its interests and ensure it has the capability to do so in the region. Today's meeting follows our video conference with Admiral Dong on September 9th. We will continue to discuss matters of mutual importance with the People's Liberation Army."
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Malaysia on Thursday for a two-day visit to participate in the ADMM-Plus. He was welcomed at the Subang Air Base by India's High Commissioner to Malaysia, B.N. Reddy. The 12th ADMM-Plus, being held in Kuala Lumpur, will engage ASEAN member states and eight dialogue partners, including India, the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. Singh is expected to address the forum on "Reflecting on 15 Years of ADMM-Plus and Charting the Way Forward." During his visit, Singh will also hold bilateral meetings with defense ministers and senior leadership from participating countries. India has been a dialogue partner of ASEAN since 1992. ADMM-Plus was established in 2010, and India has played an active role in it ever since. Currently (2024-2027), India and Malaysia co-chair the Expert Working Group on Counter-Terrorism. The next ASEAN-India maritime exercise will be held in 2026.