Syllabus:

GS-2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests 

Context: The “Framework for the U.S.-India Major Defence Partnership” was signed by Defence Minister of India and U.S. Secretary of War on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

More on the News

• It is 10-year road map to guide strategic collaboration and cooperation between the two countries across the defence spectrum.
• The development came amid strained ties due to Washington’s slapping of 50% tariffs on Indian goods.

Key Highlights 

• Comprehensive Cooperation: It covers military interoperability across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace sectors as well as joint efforts on missile defence and counter-terrorism.
• Technological and Industrial Collaboration: Enhanced technology sharing and expanded defence-industrial ties, including logistics, maintenance, and repair capabilities.
• Regional Stability and Indo-Pacific Security: Both nations commit to safeguarding a free and open Indo-Pacific, countering coercion, and supporting like-minded partnerships including the Quad grouping.
• Enhanced Coordination: The framework envisions better coordination in responding swiftly to regional challenges and disasters.
• Defence Export Licensing: Prioritization of export license approvals for defence equipment to support India's military modernization.

Geopolitical Significance 

• Strategic Recalibration in the Indo-Pacific: The pact reinforces collective deterrence against China’s assertiveness and strengthens India’s role as a key regional anchor alongside partners like Japan and Australia.
• Herald new decade of partnership: The framework is expected to provide unified policy direction to transform and expand partnership between the two countries over the next decade.
• Enhanced Regional Stability and Deterrence: The pact is vital for stability amid rising Chinese naval activity and strategic uncertainty in the Indian Ocean region.
• Impact on South Asia Dynamics: A stronger India–US defence alignment may push Pakistan closer to China, intensifying regional strategic competition.
• Defence Industrial and Technological Cooperation: The pact accelerates co-production, co-development, and supply-chain diversification under “Make in India.” 

Previous Defence Agreements

• Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), 2016: LEMOA gives both countries reciprocal access to each other’s military bases for logistics support, strengthening operational reach and joint readiness.
• The Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), 2018: COMCASA enables India and the US to use secure, encrypted communication systems and share real-time information for better interoperability.
• The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA), 2020: BECA provides India with advanced geospatial intelligence, improving the accuracy of its military targeting, navigation, and operations.
• Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA), 2024: SOSA guarantees reliable defence supply chains between India and the US, reducing delays and boosting strategic resilience.

Sources:
Indian Express
The Hindu