Rajnath Singh Holds Call With US Counterpart Pete Hegseth To Strengthen Defence Ties

New Delhi : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth held a phone conversation on Thursday to discuss enhancing the strategic defence partnership between India and the United States. Their discussion centered around developing a comprehensive 10-year framework for defence cooperation, with an emphasis on intelligence, logistics, operational collaboration, and industrial engagement.

This conversation comes just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Washington, marking a significant step toward reinforcing bilateral ties. It was Singh’s first interaction with Hegseth since the latter’s confirmation as US Defence Secretary on January 25, 2025.

An official readout shared by India outlined the agreement to work together on a detailed framework for defence collaboration between 2025 and 2035. Both ministers reviewed the current state of India-US defence cooperation, which spans land, air, maritime, and space sectors, and explored ways to expand this relationship further.

Singh expressed his satisfaction with the call, describing it as "excellent." He emphasized the need to chart an ambitious agenda, focusing on cooperation across multiple areas including operational strategies, intelligence sharing, logistics, and defence-industrial integration.

The call also highlighted the growing cooperation in defence technology, military interoperability, logistics, information sharing, and joint military exercises. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the defence innovation collaboration among governments, start-ups, businesses, and academic institutions in both nations.

The conversation came amidst a backdrop of some tension in India following the US’s deportation of over 100 Indians via military aircraft. Despite this, the ongoing dialogue continues to build on the remarkable expansion of the India-US defence relationship.

The upcoming talks between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump are expected to further bolster the strategic partnership, particularly in areas of trade, energy, and defence cooperation. Modi’s visit to Washington, following his two-day trip to Paris, is set for February 12, and his meeting with Trump will be a crucial moment in strengthening ties between the two countries.

This call between Singh and Hegseth reflects the growing importance of India-US defence cooperation in the global geopolitical landscape.