Mahmoud Abbas meets Narendra Modi after ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas here ahead of India-Palestine delegation-level talks.

A relationship marked by solidarity & friendship. PM @narendramodi meets President Mahmoud Abbas at Hyderabad House in New Delhi pic.twitter.com/mZna67fbZB

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) May 16, 2017

Earlier, Abbas was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi ahead of holding talks with the prime minister.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Modi received Abbas. He was then accorded the ceremonial guard of honour at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted

Deepening historically close & friendly ties. Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of Palestine receives ceremonial honours at @RashtrapatiBhvn pic.twitter.com/UU112V4gji

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) May 16, 2017

Later, Abbas paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on Abbas and discussed issues of bilateral interest.

“Reinforcing support to Palestine. Sushma Swaraj calls on Abbas,” Baglay said.

On Monday, addressing a gathering at the India Islamic Cultural Centre, Abbas said that he would seek the help of Modi’s good offices to reach the two-state solution that envisaged an independent, sovereign Palestine with East Jerusalem as the capital.

Abbas arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a four-day visit to India. This is his fifth visit to India and the third state visit after his visits in 2008 and 2012.

He is being accompanied by a delegation comprising Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Abu Amr, Foreign Minister Riad Malki, Diplomatic Advisor Majdi Khaldi, Presidency Spokesperson Nabil Aburdeineh and Palestine’s Chief Judge Mahmoud Habbash.

With inputs from IANS