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India not shying away from talks with Pakistan: PM Modi tells Donald Trump in New York

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Sep 25, 2019, 01:16 AM IST
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US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hold a meeting at UN Headquarters in New York. Photograph:(AFP)

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The meeting lasted between 30 to 45 minutes, Gokhale said adding, 'India was quite satisfied with the meeting'.

India is not shying away from talks with Pakistan but we expect certain concrete steps to be taken by the neighbouring country first, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said to US President Donald Trump during the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly in New york.

"The Prime Minister made it clear (to Trump) that we are not shying away from talks with Pakistan but we expect certain concrete steps to be taken by Pakistan before that, and we don't find any efforts by them," Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale told reporters at a briefing in Delhi after the bilateral meeting between the two leaders.

India raised the challenges it has been facing with regard to terror especially in Jammu and Kashmir since last 30 years, Gokhale also said.

New Delhi has repeatedly maintained that dialogue with Pakistan will not be initiated until it takes concrete action against terror emanating from its soil.

Gokhale also said that during the meeting, Modi told Trump that radicalisation is fading away from India, a fact appreciated by the US President.

"The Prime Minister told President Trump that there has been a significantly lower level of radicalisation in India than there has been in any other part of the world. President Trump acknowledged and took note of the fact," the Foreign Secretary remarked.

Watch: Indian PM Modi & US President Trump's meet at UN for bilateral talks

The latest development comes as PM Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan are expected to cross paths with each other at the United Nations headquarters in New York today.

As the UN General Assembly session formally opens, at least one occasion could present itself when Modi and Khan would be under the same roof -- an eagerly-awaited optic amid khan's attempt to draw global attention to Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 which Indian government maintains is an internal matter.

That said, while Modi and Khan may chance upon each other at various engagements slated for today, it is speculative at best to assume that the two will confront each other at the United Nations. 

Both Indian prime minister and his Pakistan counterpart would address the UN general assembly on September 27.

PM Modi and US President sat together in New York on Tuesday for the third time in the last few months and while endorsing each other also announced both working on a trade deal.

The meeting lasted between 30 to 45 minutes, Gokhale said, adding, "India was quite satisfied with the meeting".