Leaders of India and Pakistan Hold Rare Meeting

New Delhi: Pakistan's prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, met Tuesday with his new Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, in a swiftly arranged bilateral session that caught many by surprise and offered some hope that the two countries may resume a tentative peace process after a year and a half of frosty silence.

Sharif was one of seven leaders invited to Modi's swearing-in Monday because Pakistan is a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, but the ceremony was overshadowed by his interactions with Modi, a Hindu nationalist who has little track record in foreign policy and used hard-line oratory on Pakistan during the parliamentary campaign.

But Pakistani officials have expressed optimism about the prospects for peace, noting that the last burst of progress came in the late 1990s, when Sharif held power concurrently with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the last prime minister from Modi's party, Bharatiya Janata.

"I intend taking up threads from where Vajpayee and I left off in 1999," Sharif told a reporter from NDTV. Asked by a journalist what outcome he expected from his meeting with Modi, Sharif recited an Urdu couplet that translates as, "cling to the tree and hope, for spring is in sight."

It was the first visit to Delhi by a Pakistani leader since the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, which dealt a serious setback to the relationship between the two countries. Initially scheduled to last for 35 minutes, the meeting went on for nearly an hour.

One possible concession from the Pakistani side would be the extension of most-favored-nation status, which would allow Indian goods access to its markets, though Sharif is likely seeking a concession in return from Modi.

A major topic, Indian television reported, was the trials of suspects in the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, which killed 163 people. India has long complained about postponements and delays of the trial.

Both Modi and Sharif risked displeasing hard-liners in their own countries by taking part, and Sharif delayed for almost three days before accepting the invitation. In India, though, Modi's landslide victory in parliamentary elections this month has meant the criticism was muted.

One voice of dissent came from the BJP's closest ally, the Shiv Sena, which has steadfastly opposed high-level engagement with Pakistan. But its leader, Uddhav Thackeray, attended Modi's swearing-in Monday and issued a statement expressing support for the new leader.

"We trust the firm and decisive leadership of Narendra Modi and do not wish to put obstacles in his way at the very start of his term," the statement said. He added, in a kind of warning, "if, despite this gesture, Pakistan doesn't change, we expect Modi to take firm steps."

(Suhasini Raj contributed reporting from New Delhi)