Business visa for 3-5 years for SAARC countries: Modi

Before the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a joint fight against terror on the sixth anniversary of the 26/11 attacks.

November 26, 2014 10:29 am | Updated November 16, 2021 04:44 pm IST

With all eyes on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s take on the future of South Asia, the 18th SAARC Summit commenced on Wednesday morning. Photo: PIB

With all eyes on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s take on the future of South Asia, the 18th SAARC Summit commenced on Wednesday morning. Photo: PIB

11:14 am: PM pushes for a South Asian University, immediate medical visas for patients from SAARC countries

11:12 am: As we remember the horror of the terror attack in Mumbai in 2008, we feel the endless pain of lost lives. Let us work together to fulfil the pledge we have taken to combat terrorism and trans-national crimes: PM

11:10 am: India's gift of a satellite for the SAARC region will benefit us: PM

11:09 am: IT has removed barriers to education.We are prepared to connect our South Asian students through online course & E-libraries: PM

11:07 am: We should use strength of shared heritage and our diversity to encourage tourism within our region and present South Asia to the world:PM

11:05 am: India will now give business visa for 3-5 years for SAARC Countries: PM

11:04 am: Let's all make our procedures simple, our facilities better, our standards common and our paper work less burdensome: PM

11:03 am: Why do goods from India to Pakistan go through other countries,take so long? Think of what we are doing to consumers and environment, PM Modi says.

11:02 am: As SAARC we have failed to move with the speed that our people expect and want: PM

11:02 am: India and Nepal have started a new era of cooperation in energy and, India and Bhutan are making those ties stronger by the day: PM

11:00 am: South Asia is slowly coming together: PM

10:56 am: Nowhere in the world are collective efforts more urgent than in South Asia; and, nowhere else is it so modest: PM

10:55 am: Cynicism and skepticism out of place in a region throbbing with optimism, says PM Modi

10.52 am: Last Summit was 3 years ago. Only 2 of us here were present. PM Hasina has come after her re-election, Mr. Rajapaksa will go into one: PM

10.51 am: The future I dream for India is the future I wish for our entire region: Modi

10.50 am: PM Modi commences speech at the SAARC summit

10.45 am: Bhutan knows it has sacrificed growth for sustainable development, but we will continue to do what is right for us, says Tshering Togbay, Bhutan TM

10.21 am: Sheikh Hasina SAARC:Agricultural growth has helped eradicate abject hunger and poverty.Bangladesh target being middle income country by 2021

10.17 am: Stern comments made by President Rajapaksa against what he calls "external threats" to member states over human rights concerns

10.15 am: Human rights is a moral issue, but used as a political tool. Interventions are planned in the guise of HR concerns, says Mr. Rajapaksa

Diplomats were scrambling till late on Tuesday night, ahead of the plenary session of SAARC leaders, as serious differences emerged over the agreements to be adopted at the conclusion of the summit. >Read

Read: >SAARC: Bursting with potential, burdened with disappointment

10.10 am: Rajapaksa at SAARC:Must pass agreement on energy cooperation,focus on health and sanitation. Compliments Modi on SAARC satellite idea

10 am: Nawaz Sharif at SAARC : Need a dispute free Asia. Instead of fighting each other, we should fight disease, poverty, illiteracy

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (centre) waves as he arrives at the Tribhuwan Airport to attend the SAARC summit. Photo: AP

Read : > A case for SAARC reforms by Subramanian Swamy

With all eyes on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s take on the future of South Asia, the 18th SAARC Summit commenced on Wednesday morning.

Narendra Modi, waves to the media as he is received by Nepalese Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam upon arrival at the Tribhuwan Airport. Photo: AP

Apart from host Nepal, all seven heads of state and government are in Kathmandu to attend the summit. As chair of SAARC, Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul opened the summit and handed over the responsibility of the chair of the regional bloc to Nepal’s Prime Minister Sushil Koirala.

This is the third time Nepal is organising the summit - first in 1987 and then again in 2002.

Ahead of the summit, three meetings at foreign ministers’, foreign secretaries’ and joint secretaries’ levels decided to scrap three SAARC regional centres and merge four others into one

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