Mark Esper News

Donald Trump fired US Defence Secretary Mark Esper, in a shocking move. Losing presidents so far have kept their Pentagon chiefs in place until Inauguration Day to preserve stability in the name of national security.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark T Esper called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and US Ambassador to India Ken Juster were also present.

In a joint attack on terrorism emanating from Pakistan, India and the US called on Pakistan to act on terrorism and not allow its territory to be used for terrorist attacks. The joint statement issued by both sides after the 2+2 meet in the national capital. India and the US asked Pakistan to "expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators and planners of all such attacks, including 26/11 Mumbai, Uri, and Pathankot".

India and the US inked a defence pact that will allow sharing of high-end military technology, classified satellite data and critical information between the two countries. Both the nations signed a total of five agreements including BECA. The signing of BECA between the two strategic partners also signals further boosting of bilateral defence and military ties.

India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue was held at the Hyderabad House in the National Capital in which defence agreements were discussed. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper are attending the meet. Rajnath Singh expressed happiness over completing the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement), which will open new avenues in information sharing.

During the meeting, a military pact, BECA or Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement is also expected to be signed. 

Welcoming his US counterpart, Rajnath Singh said "India is delighted to host US Secretary of Defence, Dr Mark Esper" "Our talks today were fruitful, aimed at further deepening defence cooperation in a wide range of areas" "Today’s discussions will add new vigour to our defence relations and mutual cooperation," he added

Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar and Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will represent India in the third India-US 2+2 ministerial dialogue with US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Secretary of Defence Mark Esper.

The third edition of the two-plus-two dialogue between India and the US will entail a comprehensive discussion on cross-cutting bilateral issues. It will also include deliberations on regional and global developments, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday. US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark T Esper will visit India on October 26 and 27 for the high-level dialogue.

The US hopes to work with China to get it to respect the international rules-based order even as Beijing, which has repeatedly fallen short of its promises, pursues aggressive military modernisation, the US defence chief said. Speaking in Hawaii on Wednesday, Esper said China had not lived up to promises to abide by international law, rules and norms, adding that Beijing wanted to project its power globally. Washington and Beijing are at loggerheads over everything from trade and human rights to Chinese military activities in the disputed South China Sea waterway and elsewhere.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will speak to his American counterpart Mark Esper over the telephone on Tuesday, during which the ongoing tensions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China are expected to come up for discussion.

Esper clarifications come hours after media reports surfaced suggesting that the US commander wrote a letter to the Iraq government by saying that the troops would be "repositioning over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement".

Iranian-backed demonstrators who hurled rocks at the U.S. embassy in two days of protests withdrew on Wednesday after Washington dispatched extra troops. US President Donald Trump, who faces a re-election campaign in 2020, accused Iran of orchestrating the violence. He threatened on Tuesday to retaliate against Iran but said later he did not want war.

The remarks by Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe to U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper, recounted by a Chinese spokesman, came just two weeks after a top White House official denounced Chinese "intimidation" in the busy waterway.

The defence minister asserted that issues relating to Article 370 are an internal matter of India which is aimed at improving growth and economic development, democracy and prosperity for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.