India, Oct. 31 -- India and the United States on Friday signed a 10-year Defence Framework Agreement to deepen military cooperation and strengthen strategic ties, marking what defence minister Rajnath Singh described as the start of a "new chapter" in bilateral relations.

The pact, signed on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, comes at a time when the two countries are navigating a fragile trade environment, with Washington's recent tariff hikes still looming over trade negotiations.

Announcing the agreement, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the framework would deepen coordination between the two militaries through enhanced information sharing, technology cooperation, an...