ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's foreign ministry says Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will meet with his Indian counterpart on the sidelines of a summit in Russia. It's a rare meeting for top officials from the rival countries.

Ministry spokesman Qazi Khalilullah said Thursday that Sharif will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in the Russian city of Ufa, where summits of the BRICS trade group and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are taking place.

He said the two sides will discuss range of issues.

Pakistan and India have long tried to mend their differences without making much progress.

Earlier this week, the two sides exchanged fire at a border city near the Pakistani city of Sialkot. Last summer, India called off talks after Islamabad's ambassador in New Delhi met with Kashmiri separatist leaders.