Rajnath dials counterpart in US on cross-border terror

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 20

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to US President Donald Trump, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday had a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of Defence Dr Mark T Esper on cross-border terrorism affecting India.

A statement of the Ministry of Defence said Rajnath Singh ‘appreciated US support’ for India’s effort to maintain peace and stability in the region. Esper hoped that any issue between India and Pakistan would be resolved bilaterally.

Read also: PM dials UK on attack against Indian Mission

The Indian Defence Minister invited US companies to invest in the Indian defence manufacturing sector under the ‘Make in India’ programme. Both expressed happiness at the significant progress made in bilateral defence cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen and deepen the ties further. They discussed a range of issues related to military-to-military cooperation, defence policy, research and development, defence trade, technology and industrial cooperation.

They expressed satisfaction on the first tri-service joint exercise planned for later this year and also steps taken to operationalise military agreements LEMOA and COMCASA. The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) allows India to use US facilities for re-fuelling. The ministers said they looked forward to the 2+2 dialogue later this year in the US.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has asked the Pakistan PM to “moderate” his rhetoric against India over Kashmir as he underlined the need for restraint by both sides and avoid escalation of the “tough situation” in the region.

Trump on Monday spoke separately to PM Modi and his Pakistani counterpart in his bid to ease India-Pak tensions. Trump’s counsel to Khan came as PM Modi, during his telephonic conversation with the US President, conveyed that the “extreme rhetoric and incitement” to anti-India violence by certain leaders in the region was not conducive to peace.

Soldier killed at LoC

Jammu: Naik Ravi Ranjan Kumar Singh (36) of Bihar was killed and four soldiers were hurt in firing along the LoC in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district in J&K on Tuesday. TNS

Trump Advice to Pak 

Washington: US President Donald Trump has asked Pak PM to ‘moderate’ his rhetoric  over Kashmir. He stressed the need for restraint to avoid escalation of ‘tough situation’ in region.