Modi, Imran exchange pleasantries at Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek

BISHKEK, Jun 15, 2019, IANS. Amid the deep chill in bilateral ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistan PM Imran Khan exchanged pleasantries on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit on Friday, according to sources, reported the Khaleej Times.

The pleasantries were “usual” in nature and were exchanged when the two Prime Ministers were in the Leaders’ Lounge along with leaders of other SCO member countries, the sources said, insisting that it cannot be construed as a “meeting”.

This is the first such interaction between the two Prime Ministers, who were there to attend the SCO Summit.

On Thursday, Modi had told Chinese President Xi Jinping that his country’s “all-weather friend” Pakistan must take concrete action against terrorism.

Modi told the Chinese President that India has a consistent policy that all issues between India and China should be discussed through a bilateral mechanism, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale told mediapersons after the meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Summit.

“We look for a peaceful settlement (with Pakistan) through negotiations,” Gokhale quoted Modi as telling Xi.