Jaitley delays travel for ADB meet amid India-Pakistan tensions

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who also holds the Defence portfolio, has delayed by two days his travel to Japan for the Asian Development Bank's annual meet starting on Thursday amidst India-Pakistan tensions, official sources said on Wednesday.

"The situation is tense, after the killing and mutilation of two Indian soldiers. So he (Jaitley) has delayed his programme," a highly placed source in the Finance Ministry told IANS.

"FM will tentatively reach Japan on May 6 and return on May 9," the source added.

The Asian Development Bank's (ADB) 50th annual meeting will be held in Yokohama, Japan from May 4-7.

Meanwhile, the delegation consisting of Economic Affairs Secretary Shakitkanta Das and other joint secretaries has already left to attend the ADB meet.

"There are 3-4 types of meetings. Some are being attended by Secretary Das, some by the Joint Secretary and some require the presence of the Finance Minister. He will arrive on May 6 and attend his meetings. If any of the meetings are missed by him then the Secretary can attend on his behalf," the source said.

India-Pakistan tensions have escalated in the wake of Monday's killing and mutilation of two Indian soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir. India on Wednesday said it has provided Pakistan with "actionable evidence" of the involvement of the Pakistani Army in the incident that again flared bilateral diplomatic tensions.

Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit and conveyed India's outrage over the "barbaric act".

--IANS

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