Philippines, Oct 28: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth where they strongly emphasised joint resolve of their countries to eliminate the global menace of terrorism.
They met on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu, Philippines on October 28, 2026.
The meeting marked a vital opportunity to review the progress under the India-US Major Defence Partnership. Reflecting on the ongoing collaboration, both sides noted the robust progression of their foundational security agreements and explored fresh pathways to accelerate operational readiness, technology sharing and defence industrial integration.
Defence Minister stressed that the global community must maintain an uncompromising, zero-tolerance approach towards nations that support, train, or fund terrorist organisations.
Secretary Hegseth reaffirmed the United States’ unwavering solidarity and full support to India in its fight against cross-border terrorism. Defence Minister expressed India’s deep appreciation for the consistent and strong support extended by the US.
Both leaders also reviewed the progress of the 10-year India-US Defence Framework and concluded by reaffirming their shared commitment to further elevate the India-US defence relationship to strategic convergence. The discussions touched upon advancing military-to-military exchanges, augmenting maritime security collaboration, and integrating robust defence supply chains to further deepen and expand ongoing defence industry collaboration.
In a post on X after the meeting, Defence Minister termed the robust partnership between India and US as a cornerstone for a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.
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