Rajnath Singh calls his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, amid tensions with Pakistan

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday, according to PTI. The call comes amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror assault, which claimed the lives of 26 people. "The US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth spoke with Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh earlier today and expressed his deepest sympathies for the tragic loss of innocent civilians in the dastardly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir," Rajnath Singh's office said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

"Secretary Hegseth stated that the United States stands in solidarity with India and supports its right to defend itself. "He reiterated the US government's strong support for India's fight against terrorism," the statement said. Pakistan's military is continuing to build up along the border with India, with air defense and artillery forces stationed at strategic positions.

The Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan spoke by hotline on Tuesday to address Pakistan's unjustified ceasefire violations, defense sources said on Wednesday. They said India had cautioned Pakistan about the Pakistan Army's unjustified ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LOC) and the International Border.