 "US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Reuters File")
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth declared Thursday (May 1) that US stood strong with India and its great people following the “heinous” terrorist attack last week in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region.
Taking to X, Hegseth wrote, “Today, I spoke with Indian Defense Minister Singh to personally extend my deepest condolences for the loss of life in the heinous terrorist attack last week. I offered my strong support. We stand with India and its great people.”
Earlier, India’s defence ministry in a statement said Hegseth supported India’s right to defend itself.
“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 read.
Tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad have intensified in the aftermath of the attack, with Indian intelligence agencies hinting at the involvement of Pakistani nationals in the massacre.
Pakistan’s military is still mobilising its forces at the border with India, according to reports. They have reportedly moved anti-aircraft weapons and large guns to the front areas.
On Tuesday, the top military operations officials from India and Pakistan spoke on the phone. Indian defence sources said on Wednesday that they discussed Pakistan’s unprovoked breaking of the ceasefire agreement. India warned Pakistan not to continue these unprovoked violations by their army along the Line of Control (LOC) and the International Border.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAhead of Rajnath-Hegseth talks, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also held a phone call with India’s Foreign Minister Dr. S Jaishankar, during which New Delhi’s top diplomat stressed that “perpetrators, backers and planners” of the Pahalgam attack “must be brought to justice.”
Rubio earlier held talks with Pakistani side as well, during which he reportedly told Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif of the need to condemn the attack and re-establish direct communications, according to a statement released by the US State Department.