America planning more defence sales to India: Top US official

The United States is looking to expand defence sales to India as part of a “robust” bilateral agenda, a senior State Department official said on Wednesday, pointing to the recently signed trade deal and the ten-year defence framework between Washington and New Delhi as a key pillar of deeper strategic ties.

"On the defence side, we have a robust agenda...We have also some potential purchases of weapons systems in the pipeline that will help India to protect itself better, ensure its sovereignty, and also will create American jobs," said Dr. S. Paul Kapur, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs.

During his remarks at a subcommittee hearing titled "South Asia: U.S. Foreign Policy in the Region," he noted that America's initiatives and efforts with India continued forward in defence, energy, technology, and so on, despite some uncertainties surrounding the trade relationship.


The ten-year defence framework signed between the two countries in October is going to "help us move forward and improve interoperability in joint exercises in many of the things that we do and have been doing in recent years."

Kapur highlighted that 'a number of things are in the pipeline,' adding that momentum has continued, despite some of the uncertainties around trade, and it's going to continue now even more so, because the trade issue has been more resolved.

Also read: The revisions in India-US trade deal factsheet by White House

India a 'vital strategic partner'

America looks at India as a vital strategic partner, Bill Huizenga, House Foreign Affairs South and Central Asia Subcommittee Chairman, noted during his opening remarks at the meeting.

"India, the largest democracy in the world and one of the fastest growing economies, remains a vital strategic partner," Huizenga said, recalling the recently concluded India-US trade deal that 'completely revamped US engagement with New Delhi.

The US-India trade deal sets India's tariff rate at 18%, one of the lowest regionally, he noted.

"Moreover, Delhi has agreed to buy more American energy. This deal will strengthen US-India relations, support American workers through manufacturing and joint technology ventures, and boost our exports," the chairman said.

Also read: India aims to sign interim trade deal legal pact with US by March-end: Commerce Secy Rajesh Agrawal

Framework for the US-India major defence partnership

In October 2025, India and the US signed the 'framework for the US-India major defence partnership', strengthening collaboration in the field of defence.

On the sidelines of 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting - Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had a constructive and delegation-level meeting with US Secretary of War Mr Pete Hegseth.

Hegseth reiterated that India is a priority country for the US in defence cooperation and that US was committed to work closely with India to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.

During a one-on-one meeting, the two leaders appreciated the continuing momentum in the bilateral defence cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to further build upon the mutually beneficial partnership across all its pillars. They also reviewed the ongoing defence issues & the challenges that persist and deliberated upon the ongoing defence industry and technology collaborations.