Rajnath Singh, Pete Hegseth discuss progress under India-US Defence Framework

Cebu (Philippines), October 28 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Cebu on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) and reviewed progress made under the defence framework between the two nations.Taking to X, Singh said, "Had an excellent meeting with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the 13th ADMM-Plus.""We reviewed the progress of our 10-year India-US Defence Framework, driving strategic convergence across military technology, information sharing, and co-production. Our robust partnership continues to be a cornerstone for a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific," he added.Following the discussions, Hegseth also took to X and said that it was "great" meeting with Defence Minister Singh.  "We celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Framework for our Major Defense Partnership and explored ways to strengthen cooperation," he said.The first India-US Defence Framework was signed on June 28, 2005, for a 10-year term (following the initial 1995 Agreed Minutes on Defence Relationship). The second was signed on June 3, 2015, in New Delhi for another 10-year term.The third, which is also the latest 10-year renewal, was signed on October 31, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, by Defence Minister Singh and Pete Hegseth during the ADMM-Plus meeting.Singh arrived in Cebu on Tuesday on a three-day visit to the Philippines, during which he will attend the 13th ADMM-Plus and hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines.Singh is leading the Indian delegation at the two-day meeting on October 28 and 29 and will address the forum on shared regional and international security issues.Sharing details of his visit, the Defence Minister said India remained committed to strengthening regional security cooperation, promoting ASEAN centrality and ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region under its Act East Policy."During my visit, I will also be holding several bilateral meetings with my counterparts from participating nations. These interactions will be a great opportunity to review our ongoing defence ties and explore new avenues to strengthen our strategic partnerships," the Defence Minister posted on X.According to the Ministry of Defence, the ADMM is the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism within ASEAN. The ADMM-Plus brings together the 11 ASEAN member states, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam and eight Dialogue Partners: India, the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.India became a Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in 1992, while the inaugural ADMM-Plus meeting was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, on October 12, 2010. Since 2017, the defence ministers participating in the forum have been meeting annually to strengthen defence cooperation between ASEAN member states and the eight partner countries.The Philippines is chairing the ADMM-Plus in 2026. India is also co-chairing the Experts Working Group on Counter-Terrorism with Malaysia for the 2024-2027 cycle.India's participation in the forum reflects its continued engagement with Southeast Asian countries on defence and strategic issues, as well as its efforts to deepen regional partnerships under the Act East Policy.