MEA on J&K: Talks between PM Modi & Trump only on counter-terrorism

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the United States President for bilateral talks on September 24, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has provided details of the talks on Wednesday night, including their talks regarding the contentious Kashmir issue. Clarifying that the talks about J&K were restricted to counter-terrorism, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that India's position has not changed on the matte. MEA said that India rejects any third-party mediation & New Delhi will hold talks with Islamabad only when Islamabad takes stringent action against terror. Kumar was responding to the question asked over the third mediation offer by the US president in front of Pakistan's PM Imran Khan a day before he met PM Modi. 

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"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 after the bilateral meeting between the two leaders. Earlier, US President Donald Trump was asked by reporters about Pakistani PM Imran Khan admitting that the Pakistani ISI trained Al Qaeda, he said that PM Modi will take care of it'. 

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PM Modi meets US President Donald Trump

Prime Minister Modi met US President Donald Trump for bilateral talks in United Nations headquarters in New York on September 24. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar in a press brief after the meet said that the focus of discussion was on the 'impact of terrorism' and the origin of terror. The US President added that both countries will have a trade deal soon. The Prime Minister also gifted a framed photograph of Trump and himself taken at the Howdy Modi event to the US president. 

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PM Modi in the US

Prime Minister Modi is on a six-day US visit. He attended the mega Howdy Modi event on the first day and addressed 50,000 Indian Americans at the NRG Stadium in Houston. US President Donald Trump also made his appearance at the event. The very next day, on September 23, the Prime Minister addressed the UN Climate Summit at the UN headquarters in New York. On September 24, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Gandhi Solar park and spoke at a special program to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary. He also met US president for bilateral talks. He addressed the GBF on Wednesday and is scheduled to speak at the UNGA on September 27. 

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