General Bipin Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff who died in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu, was a strong proponent of India-US defence ties and helped deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries, a senior US official has said.
General Rawat, his wife Madhulika, and 11 other people on board an Indian Air Force helicopter died in a crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, the Air Force said.
The copter carrying General Rawat and his entourage crashed in apparently foggy conditions, killing the 13 people on board, the IAF and other officials said. One person survived the crash and is being treated at a hospital.
"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,” 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.