US leaders dial Indian counterparts; talk cooperation in defence, Indo-Pacific

US leaders dial Indian counterparts; talk cooperation in defence, Indo-Pacific

In an introductory telephone call from US secretary of defence Lloyd Austin to Rajnath Singh, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to work together to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and the strategic partnership. The new US administration began its formal contact with India’s top leadership on Wednesday, with secretary of defence Lloyd Austin and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan reaching out to their counterparts Rajnath Singh and Ajit Doval to discuss defence cooperation and stability in the Indo-Pacific. In an introductory telephone call from Austin to Singh, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to work together to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and the strategic partnership. They also discussed bilateral, regional and global issues, according to a readout from the defence ministry. US Navy Band performs rendition of Taylor Swift’s We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. The Pentagon said Austin emphasised the defence department’s commitment to the …