In the wake of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, during which the latter expressed solidarity with India and reaffirmed the United States’ support for India’s right to defend itself.
This interaction followed a separate call between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, underscoring the heightened diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Washington following the attack.
According to Singh, Hegseth conveyed the US government’s unequivocal support in India’s fight against terrorism. “The US stands in solidarity with India and supports its right to defend itself,” Hegseth said during the call.
During the discussion, Singh highlighted Pakistan’s continued support for terrorism in the region. “Pakistan has a long-standing record of training, funding, and supporting terrorist organisations. It has been exposed as a rogue state fuelling global terrorism and destabilising regional peace,” Singh stated, urging the international community to take a firm and unequivocal stand against such acts.
Echoing this sentiment, Jaishankar emphasised the need to hold the perpetrators, backers, and planners of the Pahalgam attack accountable. He stressed that justice must be delivered and international pressure must be maintained to deter future attacks.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also spoke with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging Islamabad to condemn the Pahalgam attack unequivocally and to cooperate with India in de-escalating tensions.
Team BharatShakti
