Rajnath Singh dials US counterpart Pete Hegseth amid tensions with Pakistan
Some details of the Rajnath Singh-Pete Hegseth phone talks are likely to be officially released shortly.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday, news agency PTI reported. The call comes amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack that resulted in the deaths of the 26 people.
“The US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth spoke to Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh earlier today and expressed his deepest sympathies for the tragic loss of innocent civilians in the dastardly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir,” Rajnath Singh's office said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“Secretary Hegseth said that the US stands in solidarity with India and supports India’s right to defend itself. He reiterated the strong support of the US government in India's fight against terrorism,” the statement added.
What was discussed on the call
The US on Thursday said it supports India's right right to defend itself and its fight against terrorism.
Singh told Hegseth that Pakistan has been "exposed" as a "rogue" state fuelling global terrorism, and "destabilising" the region.
The world can no longer turn a "blind eye" to terrorism, the defence minister said during the conversation, according to an official readout.
Hegseth said the US stands in solidarity with India and supports India's right to defend itself, Singh's office said in a social media post.
"He reiterated the strong support of the US government in India's fight against terrorism," it said.
The Pakistani military is continuing its build-up on the borders with India and has deployed air defence and artillery units at forward locations.
Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan talked over the hotline on Tuesday to discuss the unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistan, defence sources said on Wednesday. They said India warned Pakistan against the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control (LOC) and the International Border.
The Indian Army has effectively responded to the Pakistan Army's unprovoked small arms firing across the Line of Control (LoC). The Army responded swiftly to the ceasefire violation on the night of April 27-28 in areas opposite Kupwara and Poonch districts in Jammu and Kashmir (J-K), officials said.
On Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with US counterpart Marco Rubio and discussed the recent terrorist attack that took place in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.
Jaishankar stated that the perpetrators, backers, and planners of the attack must be brought to justice."Discussed the Pahalgam terrorist attack with US @SecRubio yesterday. Its perpetrators, backers and planners must be brought to justice," Jaishankar posted on X.
