Rajnath Singh, US Secy of Defence hold talks on COVID-19, defence cooperation

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday held a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of Defence Mark T Esper to discuss the ongoing tensions between India and China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) near Ladakh, the Pentagon stated.

The talks between the two leaders were initiated after India alleged that the Chinese military had infiltrated the borders at the LAC near Ladakh. The two leaders spoke at length, starting from their bilateral cooperation in fighting COVID-19 pandemic, to maintaining defence partnership between the two countries.

Giving details of the talks between Esper and Singh, the Pentagon said that the Secretary expressed his firm commitment to India’s leadership across the Indo-Pacific region, the Pentagon said in a statement.

Secretary Esper reiterated his support for a strong and enduring US-India defence partnership and the two leaders discussed ways to advance several important bilateral initiatives, it said. He also expressed his desire to visit India at the earliest, mutually-agreeable opportunity.

The External Affairs Ministry on Thursday said India was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, virtually rejecting the offer for any third-party mediation. China too had rejected it, saying the two countries are capable of properly resolving their differences through dialogue and did not require the help of a “third party”.

Earlier on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said he was “ready, willing and able to mediate” between the two countries.