Reflecting the importance that  India attaches to its relations with neighbouring countries, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh today summoned Indian envoys in SAARC countries here for a two-day meeting from May 31 to review the status of India's relations with these countries and give a fresh impetus to its diplomatic efforts there.

Established in  December 1985, The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation clubs  Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

This would be the first of Singh's meetings with Indian Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to countries in different regions of the world, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman told reporters in New Delhi.  The meeting "will help to review the status of our relations with these countries and to give a fresh impetus to our  diplomatic efforts there," he said.

India's Ambassador to Nepal, Shyam Saran is already in the capital for discussions on further strengthening bilateral relation as also regional cooperation.  Soon after taking charge of his office, Singh stressed that his government would take the necessary steps to further strengthen India's ties with SAARC countries.