NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday pulled out of a key regional summit in Islamabad citing an increase in cross-border attacks, as tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours escalates.

India said it has conveyed its decision not to take part in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit to Nepal, the current SAARC Chair.

“India has conveyed to current SAARC Chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region...have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“In the prevailing circumstances, the government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad.”—AFP