Foreign Office confirms India's invitation to SAARC leaders on Modi's swearing-in ceremony

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Syed Akbaruddin on Wednesday said that invitation has been sent to the SAARC nation leaders including Pakistan to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as the next prime minster of India.

In response to media queries on India extending invitation to SAARC countries during Prime Minister-designate, Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony, MEA Spokesperson said: "I have just one announcement to make that relates to the communication that Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh has earlier this afternoon sent to her counterparts form seven other SAARC members states. In this communication she has conveyed to them, on behalf of the Prime Minister - designate, Narendra Modi an invitation to their leaders to the swearing in ceremony on the 26th of this month."

"These communications have just gone off in the afternoon and we are now awaiting a response. Of course we have also had informal consultations with several SAARC countries in in this matter and we hope to have their responses in the next couple of days," he added.

"We will keep you informed of the outcome of our efforts on this matter. This is for us a first of sorts because this is the first time that India has invited all SAARC members to attend a swearing in ceremony of the Prime Minister. We will provide you the details of who is coming, what is their contingent , what are the facilities and the programme that has been chalked out for the 26th as we progress towards that date. ," he further added.

When asked if the Pakistan Prime Minister was also invited, Akbaruddin said: Yes leaders of all seven SAARC members states have been invited and this includes Pakistan.

On a question asked as to whether this invitation should be seen as a start of a better relationship with the Pakistan Government, he replied, "Let's take one step at a time. At this stage the invitations have gone, Let's take responses on this and we will take it from there rather than jump to conclusions on the basis of our first step. This is the first step we have taken to invite leaders of all SAARC member states, that includes Pakistan."

Modi will be administered the oath of office by President Pranab Mukherjee on May 26th at 6 p.m.