Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held a meeting with US Secretary of War Mr Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu, Philippines on October 28, 2026. The meeting served as a vital opportunity to review the progress under the India-US Major Defence Partnership, with both sides noting the robust progression of their foundational security agreements. They explored fresh pathways to accelerate operational readiness, technology sharing, and defence industrial integration.
A key highlight was the review of regional security, during which both nations strongly emphasized their joint resolve to eliminate the global menace of terrorism. Raksha Mantri stressed that the global community must maintain an uncompromising, zero-tolerance approach towards nations that support, train, or fund terrorist organizations. Secretary Hegseth reaffirmed the United States' unwavering solidarity and full support to India in its fight against cross-border terrorism, with India expressing deep appreciation for this consistent strong support.
Both leaders reviewed the progress of the 10-year India-US Defence Framework and reaffirmed their shared commitment to further elevate the India-US defence relationship to strategic convergence. The discussions covered advancing military-to-military exchanges, augmenting maritime security collaboration, and integrating robust defence supply chains to deepen and expand ongoing defence industry collaboration. In a post-meeting statement, Raksha Mantri described the robust India-US partnership as a cornerstone for a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific region.