The hotlines or secure lines of communication between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Barack Obama and their National Security Advisers have recently become operational, though they have not been put to use during its short lifespan so far.
“It [hotline] has just recently been established,” said Peter R. Lavoy, Special Assistant to U.S. President and Senior Director for South Asian Affairs at the National Security Council of the White House. The decision to have the hotline was made during Mr. Obama’s historic visit to New Delhi to attend the Republic Day on January 26, as its chief guest.
“Hotline has connotation of some crisis management phone or system that was used during the cold war to defuse crisis. That’s not what we have,” Mr. Lavoy said.
“This is a secure line between two very, very close partners so that they can exchange views at the heads of state level... and co-ordinate approaches to solving real problems,” said the top White House official. — PTI
