US Def Secy Austin speaks with Rajnath over phone, offers condolences on Rawat’s demise

TIL Desk/World/Washington/ United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday spoke with India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over the phone and reaffirmed the American commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.         

“The secretary offered his deepest condolences for the loss of General Rawat, India’s Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs Rawat, his spouse, and all the other Indian service members who were involved and killed in that helicopter accident on the 8th of December,” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters at his news conference.         

“He also, of course, reaffirmed the US commitment to strengthening US-India ties and to deepening our defence partnership,” Kirby said.