Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday extended birthday wishes to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
"Birthday wishes to Pakistan PM Mr Nawaz Sharif. I pray for his long and healthy life," Modi said.The Indian premier's birthday wishes come as tensions simmer between Pakistan and India amid intermittent ceasefire violations across the Line of Control and Working Boundary following an alleged 'surgical strike', unrest in Kashmir and the Uri army base attack.
Last year, the Indian prime minister made a 'surprise' stopover in Lahore on the occasion of Nawaz Sharif's birthday and the wedding of his granddaughter ─ a move that appeared to promise better relations between the neighbouring countries in the coming year.
The Pathankot air base attack occurred just days after Modi's surprise visit and India alleged the involvement of Jaish-i-Mohammad militants in the attack.
After the Uri attack in September, India stepped up a drive to isolate Pakistan diplomatically and termed Pakistan a 'terrorist state'.
