DNA TV Show: Analysis of India-US 10-year defence deal

For the first time, India and the US have agreed on a 10-year strategic agreement. The US has also signed a 10-year defence agreement with any country for the first time. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described it as a 'signal' of growing bilateral strategic ties even as Washington vowed to work closely with New Delhi to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed the framework agreement for the 'US-India major defence partnership' pact following their wide-range talks in Kuala Lumpur that focused on boosting strategic ties across all its pillars. Know key details of the deal below:

1. The first major point in this defence pact is the sharing of real-time intelligence. This means that agencies from both countries will share intelligence.
2. The second major point is the creation of a joint task force for the Indo-Pacific region, meaning the navies of both countries will conduct joint patrols in the ocean.
3. The third major point in the India-US agreement is technology transfer. Under this agreement, India and the United States will exchange technology related to jet engines and hypersonic missiles.
4. The fourth and most important point of the agreement is the manufacturing of jet engines and drones in India, which will prove to be a boost for Make in India.

Why is the fourth point of the agreement between India and the US considered the most important?

In the agreement, US Secretary of War Pete Hagseth clearly stated that the strategic agreement with India will be based on mutual needs. The fourth point of the agreement between India and the US has fulfilled one of India's needs. This need relates to India's indigenous fighter jet program.

The US has agreed to manufacture F-414 engines in India under a joint program. This means he problem of engine supply for Tejas will be eliminated. Not just fighter jet engines, but India and the United States have developed a complete blueprint for advancing on several strategic fronts over the next 10 years.

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Under this defence pact, the production of the Stryker armoured vehicle will begin in India next year. The Stryker is a modern armoured vehicle and is also known as a tank killer. Following this, the production of the MQ-9 drone will begin in India in 2027. A total of 31 drones in this category will be manufactured, of which 10 will be missile-launching drones. In 2027, DRDO and the US agency will begin work on the development of hypersonic missiles. By 2030, both countries will begin joint production of the KN engine.

By 2035, the entire technology for fifth-generation aircraft will be transferred from the US to India. This means that over the next 10 years, India and the US will work together on every technology that is considered a game-changer in the strategic world. The outline of this strategic agreement had already been prepared, but Trump's tariffs had created an obstacle to agreeing on this agreement.