India rejects Saarc conference in Islamabad

NEW DELHI: India on Thursday rejected Prime Minister Imran Khan's proposal for holding a Saarc Summit in Islamabad.

Responding to a question during a media briefing here, Ministry for External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India's stand on the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) "has been very clear and consistent".

"Time and again we have said that the atmosphere in the region is not conducive for this summit," Kumar said. "This is not only India which has felt in this manner. There are a number of other countries in the region that have accordingly felt that under the shadow of terrorism and cross-border terrorism, it is difficult to hold the Saarc Summit which is to be hosted by Pakistan," the Indian MEA spokesperson alleged.