US welcomes Modi-Sharif meeting in Paris

Says a constructive relationship between the two countries is not only good for the two countries but also for the region

The US has welcomed the brief meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Paris on Monday.

"We always welcome these kinds of exchanges and dialogue between India and Pakistan," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner told reporters yesterday when asked about the meeting between the two leaders.

"A constructive relationship between the two countries is not only good for the two countries but good for the region and the stability of the region," Toner said.

Modi and Sharif had a brief meeting during which they warmly held hands before sitting down for a chat, with the Indian side describing the encounter as a "brief exchange of courtesies" but Pakistanis terming it as a "good" meeting.