Russian defense minister Sergey Shoigu held a phone conversation with his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday, according to an official statement. The parties agreed to step up mutual counter-terrorism efforts and military cooperation. Shoigu also expressed condolences to the families of Indian police officers who died in a terrorist attack on February 14 in the Himalayan region of Kashmir. The region divided between India and Pakistan hit the headlines this week as the neighboring countries engaged themselves in a series of military encounters along the Line of Control.