Modi meets SAARC leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday met Presidents Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom of the Maldives and Mahinda Rajapakse of Sri Lanka here Tuesday.

In his first official meetings after taking charge as prime minister, Modi first met Karzai and then the others at the stately Hyderabad House, officials said.

Modi, who took oath as prime minister Monday, will meet all leaders from the SAARC countries as well as Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam.

All of them attended Modi's swearing-in ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Monday.

Officials termed the interactions Tuesday as "courtesy meetings" without any structured agenda.