US gives India priority as key South Asia defence partner: Pete Hegseth

Washington, July 2 (IANS) The US gives India priority as its “key defence partner in South Asia”, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has affirmed to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, according to a Pentagon Spokesperson, Colonel Chris Devine.

“When he spoke to Rajnath Singh on Tuesday, Hegseth emphasised the priority the US places on India as its key defence partner in South Asia,” said Devine.

He pointed out that both leaders reviewed the considerable progress both countries have made toward achieving the defence goals set out in the February 2025 joint statement by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and agreed to sign the next ten-year US-India Defence Framework when they meet this year.

“They also discussed pending major US defence sales to India and the imperative of close defence industrial cooperation between the two countries,” he added.

After the call, Rajnath Singh posted on X that they had an excellent discussion to review the ongoing and new initiatives to further deepen India-US defence partnership and strengthen cooperation in capacity building.

He conveyed his deep appreciation for the unwavering support extended by the US to India in its fight against terrorism, and he was looking forward to meeting him at an early date.

Rajnath Singh spoke to Hegseth before the US official met with visiting External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar at the Pentagon.

After that meeting, the Pentagon said that EAM Jaishankar and Hegseth discussed participation in the next INDUS-X Summit, where the two nations will continue to build on US-India defence industrial cooperation and produce new innovations in technology and manufacturing.

The defence framework also figured in their talks.

The Pentagon said that Hegseth told Jaishankar the U.S. and India are mutually aware of the security concerns in the region, and both nations have the ability to counter that threat together.

The defence cooperation between India and the US is one of the most consequential pillars of the US-India relationship, said EAM Jaishankar.

The defence framework comes under the US-India COMPACT (Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology) for the 21st Century, which was agreed to by President Trump and PM Modi at their Washington meeting in February and covers cooperation in a wide range of areas from defence and security to trade and space.

PM Modi and Trump announced plans for new procurements and coproduction arrangements for Javelin antitank guided missiles and Stryker armoured vehicles, as well as acquiring six additional P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, according to the Pentagon.

India has already integrated various weapons systems into its military, like the C-130J Super Hercules, C-17 Globemaster III and P-8I Poseidon aircraft, as well as the CH-47F Chinook, MH-60R Sea Hawk and AH-64E Apache.

It also utilises the Harpoon antiship missiles, M777 howitzers and MQ-9 B Sky Guardians, it said.

--IANS

al/dan