In his meeting with Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Narendra Modi on Tuesday raised issues like cross-border terror and 26/11 attack. The meeting is an incident watched closely by the international community amid hopes that the long-standing disputes between the two countries would recede.
Modi's invitation to the members of SAARC countries has been seen as a positive step towards improving regional ties. Indian media and public alike have been keeping a keen eye on Sharif's response to the unprecedented invite, even as the new Prime Minister's immediate good-will gesture has been applauded world-wide.
The men shook hands and appeared happy before a meeting that lasted for just under an hour, Tuesday afternoon. This comes after Sharif attended Modi's grand swearing-in ceremony on Monday that saw a huge crowd of over 4000 guests from around the world.
The high-profile meet between the two traditional rivals comes amid hopes of a thaw in relations between the countries, who have fought three wars since independence.
News channel NDTV reported citing unnamed sources that Modi, in his meeting, told Sharif that the trial in Pakistan of those accused in the Mumbai terror attacks was "too slow" and that the issue must be quickly resolved.
The newly sworn-in Foreign Minister, Sushma Swaraj was also present with Modi for his bilateral talks with Sharif and other South Asian heads of governments, who witnessed the massive oath-taking ceremony in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan Monday.
This comes after Sharif on Monday told NDTV that he wanted to pick up the broken threads that former Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and he had left off in 1999, the last time Sharif visited India.
"We should remove fears, mistrust and misgivings about each other. Both countries should rid the region of instability and security that has plagued us for decades," he said.
After the meeting, the Pakistani leader left to pay a visit to Vajpayee.
Before the meeting, Sharif visited the Red Fort, Chandni Chowk and Jama Masjid in the old quarters of Delhi.
On Monday, Modi and Sharif reportedly experienced an emotional bond speaking about their mothers.
"Earlier in the evening in my conversation with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif he shared some very emotional things," Modi said in a tweet.
"Nawaz Sharif ji told me that he stays in Islamabad but goes to meet his Mother once in a week...This time when he was eating with his Mother he saw visuals on TV of my Mother offering me sweets.
"The visuals touched both Nawaz Sharif ji & his Mother. He told me that after seeing the visuals his Mother got very emotional."
