Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi breaks ice with Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif before Ramadan
Born out of the bloody partition of the British-ruled India in August 1947, India and Pakistan have fought three wars against each other, notably for control of the strategic Himalayan region of Kashmir, which is divided between them.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a phone call to his Pakistani counterpart on Tuesday, offering Ramadan wishes and announcing the release of detained fishermen, in an apparent icebreaking move after recent provocative comments heightened bilateral tensions.
“Both the leaders spoke for five minutes and India’s Prime Minister also greeted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan,” Sharif office said in a statement.
“On this occasion India’s Prime Minister said his government is releasing Pakistani fishermen as a goodwill gesture and wants good relations with Pakistan,” it said, later announcing that Indian fishermen in custody would also be released.
The call came after a war of words between the neighbouring nations over border disputes, particularly over recent airstrikes in Myanmar and a recent speech by Modi in Bangladesh that touched on its war and secession from Pakistan.
The two countries, whose relations have always been fraught, have also recently accused each other of supporting terrorist organisations.
US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday said he had spoken to Sharif about the “recent increase in the tensions publicly” between the two countries.