India sends delegation to Pakistan for SCO preparatory meeting — The Hindu International
An Indian delegation led by Alok Dimri, an Indian Ministry of External Affairs official responsible for multilateral and economic relations, took part in a preparatory meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Islamabad, Pakistan. This was the first official visit by an Indian delegation to Pakistan since Operation Sindur last year, The Hindu International reports.
Preparations for the SCO summit
The three-day meeting of SCO national coordinators began in Islamabad on September 29. Dimri's participation represented a higher level of Indian representation than at previous meetings held under Pakistan's chairmanship of the organisation this year.
Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the country will host the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in August 2027. According to the ministry, Pakistan's chairmanship of the organisation will be held under the slogan of turning vision into action, connectivity, innovation and shared prosperity.
In mid-September, a meeting of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure was held in Islamabad. India was represented by Chargé d'Affaires Satypal Pandey, but a separate Indian delegation did not attend the event.
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New Delhi's position
Indian officials stressed that the coordinators' meeting was held in a multilateral format and has no special significance for bilateral relations between India and Pakistan. At the same time, according to the publication's assessment, the delegation's participation leaves open the possibility of a higher level of Indian representation at ministerial events and the summit of heads of state, to which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited.
India's Ministry of External Affairs has not yet said whether Modi will travel to Pakistan next year, but has not ruled out such a possibility either. In 2023, Modi held the SCO summit virtually, while in 2024 Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Islamabad to attend the SCO meeting of heads of government.
The meeting in Islamabad took place a few days after India and Pakistan exchanged accusations over terrorism and Kashmir during the UN General Assembly.
