Uri fallout: India pulls out of SAARC summit to be held in Pakistan in Nov

New Delhi: India on Tuesday pulled out of SAARC summit to be held in Pakistan in November, saying that the current atmosphere not conductive for holding a successful summit.

The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement, saying, "India has conveyed to current SAARC Chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Member States by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"In the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad", the statement said.

According to sources, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan may also boycott SAARC summit.

The 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit is scheduled to be held in Islamabad from November 9 to 10.

Diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan have been rising since the September 18 attack on an Army base in Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri that killed 18 Indian soldiers.

This development comes barely a week after Pakistan had snubbed India by sending junior officials to the SAARC meet which was held in Delhi earlier this month.