India awaits Sharif's reply, meetings with other leaders planned

India is ‘patiently’ awaiting Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s response to the invitation for swearing in of Narendra Modi as ‘short duration bilateral meetings’ are being set up with all the other South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation leaders, who have decided to attend the ceremony on May 26.

“We are patient people and will wait for the outcome of that process undertaken by Pakistan for decision making,” the spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry said when asked about the delay in Sharif’s response to the invite.

Asked about the meeting of Modi with SAARC leaders, the spokesperson said there will be ‘short duration bilateral meetings’ between the prime minister and the visiting dignitaries which will be attended by restricted delegation from each side.

He also said after the swearing-in on May 26, the prime minister will host a banquet for the leaders.

Asked if opposition leaders of the SAARC countries were also invited, he said only eight invitations were extended, which included leaders of seven SAARC country and to the prime minister of Mauritius. “It is the privilege and prerogative of the leader of the delegation to choose who will be in his/her delegation,” the spokesperson added.