India and the US have recently signed a new 10-year 'Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership' (2025-2035), replacing the 2015 agreement. This landmark pact provides a unified vision for deepening cooperation across all domains, including defence-industrial collaboration, military interoperability, and maritime domain awareness, with a focus on ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific. 

Key Highlights of the 2025 Framework
The new framework outlines an ambitious roadmap for comprehensive defense collaboration with the following key focus areas:

• Defence-Industrial Collaboration: A major emphasis is on expanded co-production and co-development of advanced defense systems, aligning with India's "Make in India" and "Atmanirbhar Bharat" initiatives.
• Technology Cooperation: The agreement aims to accelerate cooperation in critical and emerging technologies (under the iCET initiative), including space security, cyber defense, AI warfare, and undersea technologies.
• Enhanced Interoperability: The framework aims to strengthen the abilities of the two militaries to coordinate and respond quickly to regional threats and disasters through expanded military-to-military exercises (such as Yudh Abhyas, Malabar, and Tiger Triumph), information sharing, and liaison officer exchanges.
• Regional Security: Both nations committed to working together to ensure a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific, reinforcing India's role as a net security provider in the region.
• Supply Chain Resilience: Building on existing foundational agreements, the framework aims to mitigate supply chain risks and ensure the security of supply chains in critical defence materials. 

Foundational Agreements
The new framework is built upon several existing foundational agreements that enhance interoperability and information sharing: 

• LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement) (2016): Enables reciprocal access to military facilities for logistics support.
• COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) (2018): Facilitates secure communications between the two militaries.
• BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) (2020): Enables the exchange of geospatial intelligence and mapping data.
• SOSA (Security of Supply Arrangement) (2024): Allows either country to request priority delivery of defence goods and services from the other's firms during a crisis. 

Current Status
The 2025 Framework was signed on October 31, 2025, during a meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The two sides view defense as a major pillar of their bilateral relationship, which remains strong despite ongoing trade tensions. 

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