No formal meeting between PM Modi, Nawaz Sharif at SAARC Summit: Reports

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif for a bilateral meeting on Wednesday at the sidelines of the 18th annual South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit, according to reports.

After the inaugural session of the Summit, Prime Minister Modi will have structured meetings with the heads of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

But so far, no meeting of him has been scheduled with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, reports say.

The two-day Summit, with a 'Deeper Regional Integration for Peace and Prosperity' theme, will focus on a number of crucial issues including improving transport connectivity among the member states to ensure greater flow of goods and services for boosting trade and commerce.

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Issues related to defence and security will also be discussed, and during the summit all the heads of the government will make their policy statements.

Prime Minister Modi will also lay out his vision on what he sees as regional cooperation in South Asia.

Earlier on Sunday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin had said that India is for 'cooperative and peaceful ties' with Pakistan.

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Akbaruddin had said that Prime Minister Modi is keen 'to have meaningful dialogues with as many south Asian colleagues as possible'.

The Indian Government had earlier in August cancelled the Foreign Secretary-level talks after Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit held talks with Kashmiri separatists ahead of the proposed meeting.