India, Nov. 1 -- India and US on Friday gave a fillip to their ties by signing a pact on 10-year defence framework, which Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described as a signal of growing bilateral, strategic ties, even as Washington vowed to work closely with New Delhi to ensure a free and an open Indo-Pacific.

Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed the framework agreement for the US-India defence pact following their wide-ranging talks in Kuala Lumpur, which focused on boosting strategic ties.

The pact was finalised as the validity of a similar agreement signed in 2015 will end soon. Its signing came amid efforts by the two sides to repair their relationship, which hit its lowest in nearly two decades over 50 per cent tariffs...