Ahead of the first in-person meeting of the Quad leaders later this week, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday held a telephonic conversation with U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and discussed bilateral and regional matters, including developments in Afghanistan.
“They discussed defence cooperation and looked forward to working closely,” a Defence Ministry statement said. “Both sides appreciated the mutual cooperation in the recent evacuation operations in Afghanistan and agreed to remain in regular contact in view of evolving situation,” it stated.
They also exchanged views about combating terrorism in the region, the statement added.
