Modi, Sharif meet, chit-chat on the sidelines of SCO Summit in Ufa

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Ufa, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.
The two premiers shook hands before sitting down for delegation-level talks.

Reportedly, Indian delegation included National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar while Sartaj Aziz, Sharif's advisor on foreign affairs and national security, was in the Pakistani delegation.

The previous night, Modi and Sharif had exchanged pleasantries and chatted briefly at the dinner hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin for leaders of five BRICS nations and 10 SCO nations in Ufa.

It is expected that Modi and Sharif will discuss the status of the bilateral ties and the future direction.

However, Indian government sources told Economic Times that Modi-Sharif talks need not be construed a prelude to a resumption of the dialogue process between the two countries.

Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah said that it has always been (Pakistan) Prime Minister's policy to seek cordial and cooperative ties with all neighbouring countries including India. “It was in the pursuit of this objective that the prime minister would be meeting the Indian prime minister for a comprehensive exchange on all issues of common interest,” he had said.

Meanwhile, sources indicated ET that Modi will strongly raise India's concerns on militancy with Pakistan and that all outstanding issues including inaction against Hafiz Saeed and 26/11 mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.

Modi and Sharif had met in Kathmandu last year for the SAARC Summit but they did not have a bilateral meeting over acrimony between the two countries at that time.