Pakistan needs to create an atmosphere free of terrorism, India will not initiate talks: MEA

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held on Thursday delegation level talks with President of China Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek and told him specifically that Pakistan needs to create atmosphere free of terrorism for talks.  

"There was a brief discussion on Pakistan. PM recalled that he has made efforts and these efforts have been derailed, that Pak needs to create atmosphere free of terror and at this stage, we do not see this happening. We expect it to take concrete action," Vijay Gokhale, Foreign Secretary told media.

PM Modi's comments came ahead of President Xi's meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is also here in the Kyrgyz capital to attend the SCO summit.

Khan has twice written to PM Modi, seeking resumption of dialogue on all issues, including Kashmir.

PM Modi has also invited Jinping to visit India later this year for an informal summit. 

"PM specifically conveyed to president Jinping and he agreed that both sides need to raise our expectations from the relationship. PM welcomed him to India for the next informal summit, President Xi Jinping confirmed his readiness to visit India this year," said Gokhale.

Jinping and PM Modi and had held their first informal summit in Wuhan in April last year, which was a great success. 

FS,Vijay Gokhale in Bishkek: There was a brief discussion on Pakistan. PM recalled that he has made efforts and these efforts have been derailed,that Pak needs to create atmosphere free of terror and at this stage we do not see this happening. We expect it to take concrete action https://t.co/0W17RFFYjL

— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2019

The two leaders, who met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, also discussed ways to further strengthen the bilateral relations.

"PM noted what had improved between two sides is strategic communication& in that context, we have been able to resolve long pending issues like the opening of Bank of China branch in India and issue related to the listing of Masood Azhar," he added.

This is the first time when top leaders of the neighbouring countries are meeting after Modi's re-election following the thumping victory of the BJP-led NDA in the Lok Sabha Elections 2019.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the two leaders had a warm meeting. "Leaders discussed all aspects of enriching our bilateral relations and recognised the positive role of strategic communication in deepening our partnership," Kumar said.

Ahead of the meeting, China hinted that President Xi would highlight the need to forge a united front against US President Donald Trump's policies of trade protectionism and unilateralism using tariffs as a weapon.

China and the US have been in an escalating conflict over trade for the past year. The scope of the battle has expanded in recent months as Washington has tightened trade restrictions on Chinese telecom giant Huawei.