Land, Sea, and Space: US Embassy Celebrates 1 Year of India-US Defence Partnership
The US Embassy celebrates one year of the landmark India-US Major Defence Partnership, focusing on cooperation in space, cyber, and industrial tech.
The US Embassy in India has officially marked the first anniversary of the India-US defence partnership, a landmark framework designed to redefine the security relationship between the two nations. This strategic alliance, which has now completed one year, aims to push the boundaries of military cooperation across every conceivable domain, from the depths of the ocean to the reaches of outer space.
A Blueprint for the Next Decade
The framework was formally signed on October 31, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus. The agreement was inked by US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. More than just a temporary agreement, this 10-year roadmap provides a unified vision and policy direction to transform how the two countries collaborate on global and regional security.
In a recent post on X, the US Embassy highlighted that the partnership is focused on "advancing cooperation across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace." This comprehensive approach ensures that both nations are aligned not only in traditional warfare but also in the emerging frontiers of modern conflict.
Key Priorities of the Partnership
The embassy detailed several core pillars that guide the current trajectory of the relationship:
- Operational Coordination: Improving how the two militaries work together in real-time.
- Information Sharing: Enhancing the exchange of critical intelligence to counter shared threats.
- Defence Industrial Collaboration: Working together on the manufacturing and development of military hardware.
- Science and Technology: Leveraging innovation to maintain a technological edge.
- Regional and Global Cooperation: Ensuring stability across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
High-Level Diplomacy in the Philippines
The anniversary comes on the heels of recent high-level diplomatic engagements. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently met with his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, in Cebu, the Philippines. This meeting took place on the sidelines of the 13th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus.
While the US partnership remains a cornerstone, Singh used his visit to the Philippines to strengthen ties with other key allies. He held bilateral discussions with several global leaders, including:
- Japan: Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi
- Australia: Defence Minister Richard Marles
- Philippines: Defence Minister Gilberto C Teodoro Jr.
- South Korea: Defence Minister Kang Shin-chul
- Singapore: Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing
India's Vision for the Indo-Pacific
During the 13th ADMM-Plus, Minister Rajnath Singh reiterated India's unwavering commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. He emphasized the importance of counter-terrorism cooperation, citing Operation Sindoor as a prime example of India's proactive strategy in dismantling terrorist infrastructure.
In a move to bridge the gap between governments and the next generation, Singh proposed the creation of an ‘India-ASEAN Youth Bridge’. This initiative is intended to foster digital innovation, capacity building, and stronger people-to-people connectivity among the youth of India and ASEAN member states.
Understanding the ADMM-Plus
The ADMM-Plus serves as the highest defence consultative mechanism for ASEAN. It brings together the ten ASEAN member states—Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam—alongside eight dialogue partners, including India, the US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
India has been a dialogue partner of ASEAN since 1992, and the ADMM-Plus platform has been instrumental since its inception in 2010 for bolstering security and defence cooperation across the region. For 2026, the Philippines holds the chair of the ADMM-Plus.