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Monday, January 26, 2026
TopicUS defence secretary

Topic: US defence secretary

Top US officials planned Yemen bombing in an 18-person chat on Signal, accidentally added a journalist

National Security Adviser Mike Waltz created the group, which included Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice-President JD Vance & Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

US Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin pledges continued military presence in Iraq

US Defense Secretary made an unannounced trip to Iraq Tuesday, nearly 20 years after the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein & led to the deaths of thousands of Iraqi civilians.

Donald Rumsfeld, Bush’s Pentagon chief & face of muscular US military policy, dies at 88

During the 1970s, Rumsfeld became the youngest-ever defense secretary, at age 43, in President Gerald Ford’s administration. He died Tuesday at his home in Taos, New Mexico.

Why Joe Biden’s choice for US defence secretary isn’t just about China

Foreign policy experts may not prefer Biden’s choice Llyod Austin as head of US defence, but their concerns about the Indo-Pacific and China are overblown.

Biden backs Black general for defence secretary but will need waiver of civilian control rule

Lloyd Austin was the head of US Central Command from 2013-2016, replacing Jim Mattis in key military role overseeing troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria & Saudi Arabia.

Biden to name retired general Austin first black defense chief

The choice of Austin came as Biden faced pressure from African American lawmakers and organisations to deliver on his pledge to produce the most diverse cabinet in US history.

Special forces, capacity-building, Indo-Pacific — how India-US ties will grow in coming days

India and US, which concluded the third 2+2 dialogue Tuesday, are expected to undertake a more collaborative effort in coming months and years in the Indo-Pacific.

India & US agree on deeper cooperation in Indo-Pacific as Rajnath meets Mark Esper

The hour-long meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his US counterpart Mark Esper came a day before the bilateral 2+2 ministerial dialogue in Delhi.

US hails growing defence ties with India, lashes out at China for ‘systemic rule-breaking’

US Secretary of State Mark Esper says Washington is 'pleased to see' New Delhi and Beijing trying to de-escalate tensions in the Himalayas.

As India & US discuss defence cooperation, Army foils Pak-backed terror attack on LoC

Pakistan’s BAT team, notorious for beheading Indian soldiers, tried to push intruders; India says it won’t send troops to Afghanistan.

On Camera

Mark Tully was a colossus on the Indian subcontinent. He had sources at all levels

I was in Islamabad when Mark Tully broke the news of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto being hanged. I held it against him—he could have tipped me off. But he was a journalist before he was a friend.

India wants Canada’s resources as nations build on truce, British Columbia’s Premier says

Premier David Eby, the leader of the minerals- and gas-rich province of British Columbia, spoke with executives at Tata Steel and Reliance Industries on a trade mission to India.

Shaurya Chakra for Lt Col who led op to ‘eliminate’ terror leadership along Indo-Myanmar border

President Murmu has also conferred Kirti Chakra on Major Arshdeep Singh of 1 Assam Rifles for eliminating armed cadres when patrol led by him came under fire along Indo-Myanmar Border last May.

Non-alignment is coming back in a new avatar: Trump-peedit alliance

No nation other than China can negotiate one-on-one with Trump on an equal footing. That’s why the middle powers who so far formed the core of multilateral bodies now feel orphaned.