NEW DELHI: Taking a major step, India today pulled out of the SAARC summit to be held in November in Islamabad.
The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement, saying, “India has conveyed to current SAARC Chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Member States by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.”
“In the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad”, the statement said.
The government sources say that three other countries have also pulled out — Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
