"We had a very warm conversation. We talked about our mutual strategic interest and discussed some next steps by which we can work together more closely," Esper told reporters at the Pentagon. Discussed with Rajnath Singh future steps needed for working together more closely: US Defence Secretary

WASHINGTON: US Defence Secretary Mark Esper on Wednesday said that he has discussed with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh the future steps needed to be taken by the two strategic partners to work more closely.

Esper, who took office last month, had his first conversation with Singh over telephone on August 20.

"We had a very warm conversation. We talked about our mutual strategic interest and discussed some next steps by which we can work together more closely," Esper told reporters at the Pentagon.

However, he did not divulge any further details of their telephonic conversation.

Earlier, a spokesperson of the Defence Ministry in New Delhi had said that Esper appreciated the central government's position that the recent developments in Jammu and Kashmir are an internal matter of India and he hoped that any issue between India and Pakistan would be resolved bilaterally.

Singh told reporters in New Delhi on Thursday that Esper during their telephonic conversation told him that the abrogation of provisions of Article 370 was an internal matter of India.

Singh had also raised with Esper the issue of cross-border terrorism from Pakistan and appreciated the US support for India's effort to maintain peace and stability in the region, the Defence Ministry spokesperson had said.

"They exchanged views on a range of issues related to military-to-military cooperation, defence policy, research and development, defence trade, technology and industrial cooperation," the official had said.

Esper and Singh are likely to meet in Washington DC later this year as part of the '2+2' India-US dialogue. They will be joined by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for the strategic talks.