- Monday, April 29, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
TOP American officials expressed shock over the death of India’s first chief of defence staff Bipin Rawat in a military helicopter accident in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday (8).
They called the 63-year-old, who perished in the tragedy along with his wife Madhulika and 11 other personnel after the aircraft allegedly crashed in foggy conditions, as an exceptional leader, a valued partner and a strong proponent of defence ties between the US and India who helped in deepening their bilateral strategic partnership.
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US secretary of state Antony Blinken and defence secretary Lloyd Austin lauded the role of Rawat, a former Indian Army chief, in strengthening defence relations between the two democracies.
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“My deep condolences on the deaths of Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Rawat, his wife and colleagues who perished in today’s tragic accident,” Blinken said, adding, “We’ll remember Gen. Rawat as an exceptional leader who served his country and contributed to the US-India defence relationship.”
Austin said: “General Rawat left an indelible mark on the course of the US-India defence partnership and was at the center of the Indian armed forces’ transformation into a more jointly integrated warfighting organisation”.
He said he had the privilege of meeting Rawat earlier this year and saw him as a valued partner and friend of Washington.
“I and the department extend our deepest condolences to the Rawat family, the Indian military, and the people of India after the tragic passing of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash,” he said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Rawat family and the families of the other victims of the crash. We are deeply saddened by this loss,” the American defence secretary added.
Condoling Rawat’s death, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff Mark Milley said he was honoured to have known Rawat as a friend from their time as chiefs of their army staff to the present-day.
“He will be missed,” Milley said, tweeting pictures of his meeting with the late Indian general when the Indian tri-services chief visited Washington in September.
We extend our deepest condolences on the passing of General Rawat, his wife, and eleven others from today’s tragic accident. General Milley is honored to have known General Rawat as a friend from their time as Chiefs of their Army staffs to the present-day. He will be missed. pic.twitter.com/Qw4kZCIzL2
— The Joint Staff 🇺🇸 (@thejointstaff) December 8, 2021
“We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife, and 11 others in that tragic helicopter crash in India today. General Rawat was a valued partner,” US state department spokesperson Ned Price said at his daily news conference on Wednesday.
“He was a strong proponent of the US-India defence partnership. He helped to deepen the strategic partnership between our two countries. He was pivotal to that relationship, and that’s why our thoughts go out to the general’s family, to the families of all those on board this flight, and, of course, to the people of India on the loss that they have suffered today,” Price said.
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said at a separate news conference, “The secretary had the privilege of meeting with him earlier this year and really came to view him as a valued partner and a friend to the United States. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Rawat family, as they lost other family members in this crash, and of course the families of all the other victims of this terrible, terrible incident.”
Several top American lawmakers also expressed their condolences at the demise of Rawat.
“I send my deepest condolences to Narendra Modi & the people of India as they mourn the tragic deaths of General Bipin Rawat, his wife, Madhulika Rawat, & the 11 other crew members & passengers lost,” said senator Rick Scott.
“India is strong and during this time of grief the United States stands with you,” he tweeted.
“My deepest condolences to the people of India after the tragic death of General Bipin Rawat, head of India’s armed forces, his wife & 12 others today. My thoughts & prayers are with their families,” tweeted senator Bill Hagerty.
“My most sincere condolences to the people of India and their armed forces for the lives lost in today’s tragic aviation incident. I will continue to do all I can to help our partnership grow into an enduring force for overcoming this and future adversities,” Congressman Michael McCaul said in a tweet.
“Please join me in praying for India today after this staggering loss,” Congressman Mark Green said in a tweet.
