New Delhi, May 1 -- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh speaks to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The call comes after US urged India and Pakistan to work together to de-escalate tensions and avoid an expected clash, after militants last week killed dozens of people in the Indian-controlled portion of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with top officials from both countries on Wednesday, asking them to "maintain peace and security in South Asia." He told Pakistan's prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, of the need to condemn the attack and re-establish direct communications, according to a statement from the State Department. Rubio also spoke with India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishan...