External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the India-US defence partnership is one of the most important parts of the two countries’ relationship during his visit to the Pentagon in Washington.

“I am here with you at the Pentagon because we believe that our defence partnership is, today, truly one of the most consequential,” Jaishankar told US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth during their meeting, underlining the critical weight India places on military cooperation with Washington.

The meeting came on the heels of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (QFMM), marking yet another milestone in the rapid intensification of US-India engagement across the Indo-Pacific.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed enthusiasm about the growing defence partnership between the two countries. He highlighted the integration of US defence systems into India’s armed forces and outlined the goal of expanding industrial cooperation and co-production networks.

Hegseth echoed Jaishankar’s sentiment, welcoming the minister and lauding the progress made in integrating American defence systems into India’s armed forces. He emphasised future ambitions, including finalising key defence deals and expanding joint production capabilities.

“The US is very pleased for the successful integration of many US defence items… building on this progress, we hope we can complete several major pending US defence sales to India, expand our shared defence industrial cooperation and co-production networks, strengthen interoperability… and formally sign a new framework of US-India major defence partnership,” Hegseth said.

“We are eager to work alongside you to realise our shared goals,” Hegseth added. “They are deep and ongoing. The visit today marks an important milestone in the ongoing series of high-level engagements between our two great countries.”

Jaishankar also met US Secretary Marc Rubio on the sidelines of Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting. “Pleasure meeting US @SecRubio this afternoon on the sidelines of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. We discussed our bilateral partnership — trade, security, critical technologies, connectivity, energy, and mobility — and shared views on regional and global developments,” Jaishankar said.

– Ends

With inputs from ANI

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