Rajnath speaks to US counterpart Hegseth over augmenting defence ties, thanks for anti-terror support

New Delhi: Days after refusing to sign a joint declaration at a SCO meeting for not accommodating India’s concerns on Pakistan-backed terrorism, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday had a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth and thanked him for the support extended by the US to India in its fight against terrorism.

The two leaders also discussed ways to further augment defence ties with focus on expanding industry collaboration.

“The Defence Minister appreciated the unwavering support extended by the US to India for its fight against terrorism,” the defence ministry says in a statement. This is the third telephonic conversation between the two leaders since January when Hegseth was confirmed as Defence Minister.

Sources said Rajnath Singh was understood to have conveyed to Hegseth that Indian action during Operation Sindoor only targeted terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan, which has emerged as a “safe heaven” for internationally banned terrorists.

Post Operation Sindoor, India sent seven teams of Parliamentarians all over the world to convey to the foreign governments and policy makers on the rationale behind India’s retaliatory action after one of the worst terror strikes at Pahalgam targeting civilians on the basis of their religious profiling.

While the defence ministry statement is silent on what transpired during the conversation, sources said New Delhi conveyed to Washington that its action was measures, proportionate and non-escalatory, and focused solely on destroying the terror infrastructure.

Sources said Pakistan’s track record of cross-border terrorism came up for discussions, during which Rajnath told his US counterpart that India’s western neighbour became a safe haven for terrorists, who enjoyed immunity there.

The two ministers spoke just a week after Singh refused to sign the joint communique of the Shanghai Cooperation Organsation’s defence ministers meeting at Qingdao as the document neither mentioned the dastardly Pahalgam terrorist attack nor India’s concerns on Pakistan-origin terror strikes. The draft of the SCO document is understood to have been prepared by China and its trusted ally Pakistan.

“Singh and Hegseth also discussed a wide canvas of issues ranging from long-term cooperation in the defence sector, including training and military exchanges, to expanding the industry collaboration,” says the defence ministry statement. Hegseth also invited Rajnath for an in-person meeting.

“They agreed to further build upon the momentum of this critical and mutually beneficial partnership across all its pillars such as interoperability, integration of defence industrial supply chains, logistics sharing, increased joint military exercises and cooperation with other like-minded partners,” it adds.

The delayed delivery of jet engines by the US major GE to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited also came up for discussions with Rajnath flagging India’s worries and requesting the US side to fast-track the supply of the critical equipment that are urgently needed for Tejas Light Combat Aircraft.