Indo-Pak Foreign Secretary-level talks: As it happened

Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan met in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan met at the South Block on Tuesday, ahead of the 'Heart of Asia (Istanbul Process)' conference.

26 April 2016

17:38 PM

Pak foreign secretary not to wait for dinner, to leave by 7 pm today. 

15:30 PM

Meanwhile, the Heart of Asia conference has started in New Delhi.

Heart of Asia Senior Officials Meeting underway in Delhi pic.twitter.com/sy3aoZ2spM

— ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2016

14:52 PM

In this context, he (Jaishankar) asked which spy agency would put their agent in field with their own passport and without a visa - Sources

14:51 PM

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar firmly rebutted allegations of India's involvement in Balochistan or other areas during talks with his Pakistani counterpart, ANI quotes sources as saying.

14:04 PM

Our Statement on Foreign Secretary Jaishankar's meeting with his Pakistani counterpart pic.twitter.com/BtOuduz73M

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) April 26, 2016

14:02 PM

Foreign Secretary also emphasised on the need for early and visible progress on Mumbai attacks case trial in Pakistan - Vikas Swarup

14:00 PM

Discussions also covered humanitarian issues including those pertaining to fishermen and prisoners - Vikas Swarup

13:57 PM

We pressed for immediate consular access to Kulbhushan Yadav, former naval officer, abducted and taken to Pakistan - Vikas Swarup

13:55 PM

Foreign Secretary clearly conveyed that Pakistan cannot be in denial on the impact of terrorism on bilateral relations - Vikas Swarup

13:52 PM

Foreign Secretary also brought up the issue of listing of JeM leader Masood Azhar in the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee - Vikas Swarup

13:50 PM

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup says Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar emphasised on the need for early and visible progress on the probe into Pathankot terror attack, during talks with his Pakistani counterpart in New Delhi.

13:15 PM

The Pakistani Foreign Secretary underscored the need for early commencement of Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue for which Indian Foreign Secretary's visit to Pakistan is due - High Commission

13:10 PM

The Pakistani High Commission says the issue of capture of alleged RAW officer Kulbushan Jadev was also taken up during the Foreign Secretary-level meet.

13:00 PM

Delhi: India- Pakistan Foreign Secretary level meeting ends. pic.twitter.com/QNZT7nTtL0

— ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2016

11:50 AM

The Pakistani High Commission says the meeting between Foreign Secretaries provided a useful opportunity to exchange views on recent developments in bilateral context. 

It adds all outstanding issues including J&K dispute were discussed.

"The (Pakistani) Foreign Secretary emphasized that Kashmir remains a core issue that requires a just solution, in accordance with UNSC resolutions and wishes of Kashmiris," the High Commission stated.

11:25 AM

Another important bilateral for Foreign Secretary as he meets with his Pakistan counterpart Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry pic.twitter.com/tk5ZKYwxeU

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) April 26, 2016

11:20 AM

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry has arrived at the South Block to hold talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar.

Delhi: Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry reaches South Block to meet Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar pic.twitter.com/6VajprGi8y

— ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2016

10:40 AM

We are always in favour of talks but there needs to be a coherent policy and direction to that, says Congress leader Anand Sharma

10:20 AM

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry arrives in Delhi to attend 'Heart of Asia' conference pic.twitter.com/AMgPpfbGZp

— ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2016

10:15 AM

Beginning with the bilaterals. Before Heart of Asia Meeting, FS meets Afghan Dy FM Hekmat Karzai for first meeting. pic.twitter.com/x7GDLsDwCK

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) April 26, 2016

09:00 AM

Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will meet his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry in New Delhi on Tuesday morning in the first formal talks between the two nations after the January 2 attack on Pathankot air base in Punjab.

The two officials are meeting on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia conference on Afghanistan here.

The two top diplomats will strive to put the bilateral dialogue process back on track during the meeting at the South Block.

The talks got stalled following the attack on the Pathankot air base in which seven security personnel were killed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed militants.

The attack derailed the dialogue process which got a kick-start with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit to Islamabad last October for a Heart of Asia ministerial meeting jointly hosted by Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Both the sides agreed on resumption of the bilateral dialogue, naming it Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's December 25 stopover to Lahore during which he met his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif also gave a fillip to the dialogue process.

The Heart of Asia Istanbul Process senior officials meeting will begin at Hyderabad House at 3 pm on Tuesday.

Ahead of the conference Jaishankar will first hold a bilateral meeting with his Afghanistan counterpart at 10 am and then with his Pakistani counterpart in his chamber in South Block at 11 am.

- IANS