General Raymond A Thoman II, the commander of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), has on Thursday met with General Bipin Rawat, the Indian army chief, to hold talks over issues related to mutual concerns and strategic partnership between Washington and New Delhi.
According to ANI news reports, Additional Directorate General of Public Information of Indian Army, in a tweet, wrote: “General Raymond A Thomas III, Commander of US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) called upon and interacted with General Bipin Rawat COAS, today. Discussed issues of strategic & mutual concern.”
General Raymond A Thomas III, Commander of US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) called upon and interacted with General Bipin Rawat #COAS, today. Discussed issues of strategic & mutual concern. pic.twitter.com/T21aPdjQpk
— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) March 7, 2019
The meeting has come on the heels of the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan since Pulwama terror attack in Kashmir on February 14, claimed by Pakistan backed and based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror outfit. A day after IAF targeted JeM camps in Balakot, both countries’ fighter jets engaged in an aerial battle over the strikes in Jammu and Kashmir after which PAF’ F-16 trespassed into Indian Air Space.
On Tuesday, the United States has said it supported India over its stern actions taken against JeM on the Pakistani soil.
After the Indian strikes, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo had said, “I spoke to Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi to underscore the priority of de-escalating current tensions by avoiding military action, and the urgency of Pakistan taking meaningful action against terrorist groups operating on its soil.”