S Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs, will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Council of Heads of Government (SCO-CHG) meeting in Pakistan on October 15 and 16. This marks the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly a decade.
Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson for India’s foreign ministry, confirmed Jaishankar’s leadership of the Indian delegation. However, he did not specify any meetings with Pakistani leaders during the visit.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Foreign Office, stated that Pakistan currently chairs the SCO-CHG and has invited leaders from all member states, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Last year, Pakistan’s then-foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari attended the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in India, his country’s first high-level visit there since 2014.
Relations between Pakistan and India have been strained, especially after India revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019. Both nations renewed a ceasefire along the Line of Control in 2021 despite tensions.
The upcoming SCO summit will feature a ministerial huddle and several meetings to boost cooperation among member states in finance, economics, and socio-cultural affairs.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has announced a robust security plan for the summit. The Pakistan Army, Rangers, Frontier Corps, and Punjab police will ensure safety during the event.
The SCO, comprising India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, is a crucial platform for regional security and collaboration, particularly with Central Asian nations. India remains active in the SCO but is cautious about China’s influence, consistently refusing to endorse the Belt and Road Initiative.
