Regional
US approves $93 million arms sale to India as defence partnership accelerates
On October 31, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur, where the two leaders signed the new long-term framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership.
The United States has approved military sales worth nearly $93 million to India, marking another significant step in the rapidly expanding defence partnership between the two countries.
According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, India requested 100 FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles, 25 command launch units, and 216 Excalibur precision-guided projectiles. The Javelin package is valued at $45.7 million, while the Excalibur projectiles are estimated at $47.1 million.
The agency said the proposed sale would deepen strategic cooperation, enhance India’s defence capabilities, and strengthen the security of a key US partner. It noted that India “continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions.”
The approval comes shortly after Washington and New Delhi agreed on a 10-year defence cooperation framework aimed at boosting collaboration in military technology, co-production, and information sharing.
On October 31, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur, where the two leaders signed the new long-term framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership. Singh described the meeting as “fruitful,” saying the agreement would guide the full spectrum of defence cooperation and signal growing strategic alignment.
Hegseth echoed the sentiment, writing that defence ties between India and the US “have never been stronger” and emphasizing enhanced coordination and technology cooperation.
The latest arms approval reflects the continued momentum in bilateral defence ties, with both nations positioning closer security cooperation as a core pillar of their Indo-Pacific strategies.