On the eve of Pakistan Day, a letter was written by Indian Prime Minister Modi to his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan stating that India wants cordial relations with Pakistan Prime Minister. He said that it was imperative to have an atmosphere of confidence, free of terror and animosity.
“India, as a neighbouring country, wishes to maintain friendly relations with the citizens of Pakistan. This necessitates the creation of a trusting environment free of terror and animosity” said PM Modi.
PM Modi also expressed his best wishes to Khan and the Pakistani people as they face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
There have been signs of progress in relations between India and Pakistan.
Last month, the Indian and Pakistani forces reaffirmed their commitment to the 2003 ceasefire along the Jammu and Kashmir Line of Control (LoC).
A Pakistani delegation arrived in India on Monday for a meeting of the permanent Indus commission. It is the first such discussion in more than two and a half years.
Last week, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that India wants good neighborly relations with Pakistan and is committed to resolving any problems bilaterally, but that any substantive dialogue can only take place in a conducive environment.
He stated that the onus is on Islamabad to foster such an environment.
Relations between the two nations deteriorated after India revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and divided the state into two union territories in 2019.
Pakistan Day commemorates the March 23, 1940 Lahore Resolution, in which the All-India Muslim League demanded a separate country for India’s Muslims.