New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke with his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, on Thursday, according to defence ministry officials.
This comes amidst mounting tensions with Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in which 26 people were killed.
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.
During the talks, Rubio reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to cooperation with India against terrorism. Expressing his sorrow for the lives lost in the “horrific terrorist attack” in Pahalgam, Rubio also encouraged India to work with Pakistan to “de-escalate tensions” and maintain peace and security in South Asia, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.
The talks between the two leaders come as there has been a rise in ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir after the April 22 brutal attack in Pahalgam, where terrorists killed 26 people and injured many others. The Indian Army has effectively responded to the Pakistan Army’s unprovoked small arms firing across the LoC.