Islamabad, Pakistan: The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirms participation in SAARC Summit to be held in Islamabad. According to Indian media, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj shared this news in Islamabad with media after getting confirmation of the visit from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
It may be mentioned that Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had invited Mr. Modi for the SAARC Summit when they had met for a bilateral meeting in the Russian city of Ufa in July. SAARC summit will be held in Islamabad in September 2016.
India and Pakistan faced very rough state of relation during year 2015 and Indian forces resorted fire at Line of Control over several hundred times. Both countries faced deficit of trust since the time Mr. Modi came into power.However ice started melting in last two weeks and both countries are busy in confidence building measures.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend SAARC conference to be held in Islamabad. He has already locked his schedule for September 2016 and we can say with confidence that Mr. Modi will go to Islamabad”, said one official in Indian ministry of External Affairs.
The visit of Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to attend Heart of Asia conference in Islamabad and meeting of national advisors for security were two positive events in otherwise harsh patch of Indo-Pak relations. The talks that lasted for four hours was attended by the foreign secretaries of the two countries.
It may be mentioned that NSA-level talks between India and Pakistan in Bangkok for “normalisation” of relations between the two countries were successful and US State Department issued a statement and called these talks positive and encouraging.
“We welcome reports of the meeting between Indian and Pakistani officials. We support any and all positive steps Indian and Pakistan can take to reduce tensions, engage in dialogue, and forge closer relations,” a State Department spokesperson said.
“The normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan is vital to both countries and the region,” the spokesperson said when asked about the talks between the National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan in Bangkok.
