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In a significant step toward strengthening Indo-US defence ties, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth held a wide-ranging telephonic discussion on Tuesday, reaffirming their commitment to deepening cooperation across multiple fronts, including counter-terrorism, military training, and industrial collaboration.
The conversation — the third between the two leaders since January — covered a host of pressing issues, notably the delayed delivery of critical US-origin engines for India’s fighter jets and concerns over cross-border terrorism.
According to official sources, Singh urged his American counterpart to expedite the delivery of GE F404 jet engines meant for India’s Tejas aircraft, which has faced a delay of over two years. He also pressed for an early finalisation of the agreement to jointly produce the more advanced F414 engines in collaboration with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). These engines are central to India’s next-generation fighter aircraft development program.
“The delay is impacting our defence preparedness,” said an Indian official familiar with the discussions. “The Defence Minister conveyed that the F414 agreement needs to be concluded swiftly, as it forms the backbone of India’s future combat aircraft fleet.”
In addition to defence production, Singh and Hegseth discussed enhancing logistics cooperation, increasing joint military exercises, and building resilient defence supply chains. Singh praised the United States for its consistent support to India’s counter-terrorism efforts and emphasised the need for continued collaboration in addressing regional threats, including terrorism emanating from across India’s western border.
Singh also accepted an invitation from Secretary Hegseth to visit the United States for further in-person talks, aimed at accelerating ongoing defence initiatives.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Secretary Hegseth at the Pentagon, where he underscored the growing importance of India-US defence relations. “I am here with you at the Pentagon because we believe that our defence partnership is, today, truly one of the most consequential,” Jaishankar stated during the meeting.
Hegseth echoed this sentiment, highlighting the successful integration of US defence platforms into India’s armed forces and outlining ambitions to expand co-production and industrial cooperation. “We’re looking to finalise several pending defence deals with India and strengthen our shared industrial networks,” Hegseth said.
He also underlined plans to formalise a new framework to advance the India-US major defence partnership.
The latest high-level exchanges come at a time when both nations are seeking to deepen their strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and enhance regional stability in the face of rising geopolitical tensions.
