New Delhi, July 3 -- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his American counterpart Pete Hegseth have agreed to firm up a 10-year framework to further expand defence and strategic ties between India and the US.

The decision on the defence framework was mentioned in a Pentagon statement that was released on Wednesday, a day after Singh and US Defence Secretary Hegseth held a phone conversation.

"Secretary Hegseth and Minister Singh agreed to sign the next 10-year US-India Defence Framework when they next meet this year," it said.

It said the two sides discussed pending major US defence sales to India and the imperative of close defence industrial cooperation between the two countries.

"Secretary Hegseth emphasised the priority the United ...