Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin have commended the progress achieved by the India-US defence partnership, based on increased operational coordination, information-sharing, and industrial innovation. Both leaders met on the sidelines of the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus at Vientiane, Laos, today. The Defence Ministry said in a statement that both sides recognized the remarkable progress made under the US-India Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap, including ongoing collaboration to advance priority co-production arrangements for jet engines, munitions, and ground mobility systems.

The Defence Minister recalled his recent visit to the US in August, where two important documents were concluded. These are the Security of Supplies Agreement and the Memorandum of Agreement regarding the deployment of Liaison Officers. Both sides welcomed ongoing efforts to deepen the military partnership and interoperability to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Mr. Singh emphasized the need for collaboration on key initiatives, including the new regional Maritime Initiative for Training, the Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission, and the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project, aimed at improving disaster response across the region. Both sides reaffirmed support for expanding defence innovation through the India-US Defense Acceleration Ecosystem, involving governments, businesses, and academic institutions. They also agreed to maintain the momentum of enhanced India-US defence cooperation and growing strategic alignment over the past two and a half years.

The Defence Minister also held a meeting with his New Zealand counterpart, Judith Collins, today on the sidelines of ADMM Plus in Vientiane, Laos. The Defence Minister also met South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong Hyun.