PM Modi meets UK PM Boris Johnson on sidelines of G7 summit in France

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with the new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France on Sunday. This is the first meet between the two leaders since Johnson took charge as the British PM. The meeting lasted for 30 minutes.

Both leaders had a telephonic conversation last week in which PM Modi congratulated Johnson for assuming charge as British PM.

During that conversation, PM Modi had raised the issue of violent protests that took place outside the Indian mission by Pakistani and Khalistani groups on the Independence Day with the British Prime Minister.

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A government readout said, that Prime Minister Modi "drew attention to the challenges posed by vested interests pursuing their motivated agenda, including by violent means." The statement added, "In this context, he referred to the violence and vandalism perpetrated by a large mob against the High Commission of India in London on the last Independence Day of India."

The British Prime minister has regretted the incident and assured the safety of the Indian mission. The UK also made it clear Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan.

A United Kingdom (UK) government readout on the same telephonic conversation said, "The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Modi discussed the current situation in Kashmir. The Prime Minister made clear that the UK views the issue of Kashmir is one for India and Pakistan to resolve bilaterally. He underlined the importance of resolving issues through dialogue."

The United Kingdom has also cleared that it did not support any statement from the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) during the consultative meet, called at the behest of China on August 16, in the backdrop of India revoking Article 370, which granted special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.