Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif shake hands at SAARC summit; member countries clinch deal on regional electricity grid

 

17:45 IST Thursday, 27 November 2014

A brief meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart appears to have salvaged a summit of South Asian leaders, with all eight countries clinching a last-minute deal to create a regional electricity grid. Thursday's pact, to be signed at the summit's closing ceremony, will buttress Modi's ambition for South Asia to become a viable economic counterweight to China, which has made sweeping inroads in the region. "Yes, the electricity agreement will be signed," Nepal's Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey told Reuters, as the leaders emerged from a mountain retreat outside the Nepali capital of Kathmandu. Read more

SAARC countries on Thursday signed energy cooperation pact at the 18th summit in Nepal. However, Pakistan stalled inking of SAARC connectivity agreements. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif "exchanged pleasantries" during an informal retreat of SAARC leaders in Dhulikhel on the concluding day of the two-day summit. "The two leaders exchanged pleasantries when they met for the first time after arriving here," said External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin.

The leaders gathered at Dhulikhel in Kavre district, 20 km east from the Nepalese capital, for the traditional SAARC retreat where they held private, unofficial bilateral and multilateral talks in a relaxed and more informal atmosphere. Read more

10:40 IST Thursday, 27 November 2014

SAARC leaders to push for connectivity agreements at retreat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other SAARC leaders today headed for Dhulikhel in Kavre district, 20 km east from here, for a retreat as they are expected to make a last ditch effort to push Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif to ink the regional connectivity agreements.

Retreat is a tradition of SAARC Summit where leaders hold private, unofficial bilateral and multilateral talks in a relaxed and more informal atmosphere.

SAARC retreats are ideally organised outside the summit venue in resorts and hotels where the leaders can relax and discuss the bilateral and multilateral agendas. It also provides an opportunity to quell disagreements on unresolved issues.

Since Pakistan has stalled the inking of SAARC connectivity on the pretext that they have not completed the "internal process", the leaders are expected to convey their keenness to ink the pacts. Read more

08:30 IST Thursday, 27 November 2014

India-Pakistan friction threatens South Asia trade at Himalayan summit

Hostilities between rivals India and Pakistan on Wednesday threatened to scupper efforts by South Asian leaders to boost trade among almost a quarter of the world's people, throwing into doubt any prospect of a regional customs union. 

India and Pakistan have fought three wars, and just last month exchanges of fire across the border in disputed Kashmir killed 20 people. The bickering spilled into a two-day regional summit in Kathmandu, and their leaders refused to meet. Indian and Nepali officials said Pakistan declined to sign three multilateral pacts with the eight members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The agreements aim to boost road trade and electricity sharing, including across Pakistan's heavily militarized border with India.

In an apparent reference to Pakistan, India's foreign ministry spokesman said one country had cited incomplete "internal processes" for not signing the pacts, but stopped short of naming it. Pakistani officials did not respond to telephone calls seeking comment. Read more

Day 1 updates of SAARC summit

22: 45 IST Wednesday, 26 November 2014

Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds bilateral talks with SAARC leaders except Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held bilateral talks with all Heads of Government and State attending the 18th SAARC Summit here with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif the only conspicuous exemption.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said, "It was decided earlier that there will be no structured talks as no requests had come... I said it before we are ready for a meaningful bilateral dialogue. When circumstances are there, we will have that dialogue. Nothing else....We are ready when they are ready." Read more

21:34 IST Wednesday, 26 November 2014

Narendra Modi meets Afghanistan President; Bangladesh, Bhutan PMs on SAARC sidelines

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held bilateral talks with the Afghan President and Prime Ministers of Bangladesh and Bhutan during which the leaders discussed ways to enhance cooperation in key areas of trade and security. Modi, who arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday to attend 18th SAARC Summit, held talks with the SAARC leaders at the Soaltee hotel where all the visiting dignitaries are staying. During his meeting with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, Modi said India was committed to strengthening relations with the war-torn country. Read more

15:58 IST Wednesday, 26 November 2014

14:06 IST Wednesday, 26 November 2014

India on Wednesday said it has no plans for a structured meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.

"We don't have any plan for a structured meeting between our Prime Minister and the Pakistani Prime Minister simply because we have not received a request to that extent," MEA Spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said here.

He said Prime Minister Modi will have a series of bilateral meetings where he will discuss substantive issues with the SAARC colleagues. "These will be substantive meetings and we will share with you outcomes of these meetings," he added.

11:15 IST Wednesday, 26 November 2014

The future I dream for India is the future I wish for our entire region, says PM Narendra Modi

Addressing the SAARC summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, " The future I dream for India is the future I wish for our entire region. Nowhere in the world are collective efforts more urgent than in South Asia; and, nowhere else is it so modest.

Adding that this was his first SAARC Summit but for the second time he was meeting most of them together, Modi said, "I have travelled the world from the middle of the Pacific to the Atlantic I see a rising tide of integration. There is much to learn from each other, even more - to do together.

Also read: India to provide immediate visa for patients from SAARC countries: PM Narendra Modi

Modi further said, "India and Bangladesh have deepened their links through rail, road, power and transit. India and Nepal have started a new era of cooperation in energy and, India and Bhutan are making those ties stronger by the day. With Sri Lanka we have transformed trade through a Free Trade Agreement. We will soon launch a new arrangement to meet Maldives' need for oil."

PM @narendramodi at 18th SAARC Summit- Some more Photographs pic.twitter.com/Ae1gc5LWA2

— PIB India (@PIB_India) November 26, 2014

Mentioning that Infrastructure is my greatest priority in India, Modi said, "As SAARC we have failed to move with the speed that our people expect and want. We must shrink the distance between our producers and consumers and use the most direct routes of trade. I know India has to lead and we will do our part. Hope, each of you will, too. 

Emphasising on simple procedures, Modi added, "Let's all make our procedures simple, our facilities better, our standards common and our paper work less burdensome. India will now give business visa for 3-5 years for SAARC Countries."

Remember the horror of the terror attack in Mumbai,​ Modi said, "Let us work together to fulfil the pledge we have taken to combat terrorism and trans-national crimes. There is a new awakening in South Asia, a new recognition of inter-linked destinies and a new belief in shared opportunities. When we join our hands and walk in step, the path becomes easier, the journey quicker and the destination closer."

18th SAARC Summit begins. pic.twitter.com/1LFGlx868F

— Syed Akbaruddin (@MEAIndia) November 26, 2014

11:00 IST Wednesday, 26 November 2014

Pakistan pushes for active role for observers in SAARC

Pakistan on Wednesday sought greater involvement with the observer nations in the eight-member SAARC bloc, saying it should build on convergences and minimise divergences and called for a "dispute-free" South Asia. The remarks by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, addressing the 18th SAARC summit, come in the backdrop of China making efforts to be made an active member from observer status. Read more

10:19 IST Wednesday, 26 November 2014

Instead of fighting each other, we must jointly fight poverty, malnutrition, says Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif

Speaking at the summit, Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif said, "I congratulate the government of Nepal for successfully holding the SAARC Summit. From the people of Pakistan to people of SAARC region I bring warm greetings and sentiments of goodwill and friendship.

Sharif further added, "The theme selected for 18th SAARC summit is very important and reflects our common desire in reaching out to get a win-win situation."

"The gap between the promise of SAARC and its accomplishments need to be built for the greater good of the people. My vision is for South Asia, instead of fighting each other, we must jointly fight poverty, malnutrition," Sharif added.

10:00 IST Wednesday, 26 November 2014

A day ago, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan is ready to hold talks with India but it is up to India to re-start the negotiations which were called off "unilaterally" by it.

However, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said there was no discussion or debate on the issue and stressed on the "deepening of understanding among the SAARC countries then going horizontally." On SAARC's connectivity pacts, Akbaruddin said these agreements were discussed at various senior levels and there was no objection from any country but one state has indicated that they need approvals of their "internal processes".

India and Pakistan have been involved in a war of words after New Delhi cancelled a Foreign Secretary-level meeting in August after Pakistan's envoy in India met Kashmiri separatists ahead of the talks.

Modi, after becoming Prime Minister, has been pushing for a stronger SAARC and there has been a lot of enthusiasm among top diplomats of various countries about what he brings to the table to make the eight-nation grouping a regional powerhouse.

The two-day 18th South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation summit will deliberate on a range of crucial issues such as defence and security, improving transport connectivity among the member states and ensuring greater flow of goods and services to boost trade and commerce.