S. Jaishankar Set to Attend SCO Summit in Pakistan Amid Tense Relations

In a recent announcement, the Ministry of External Affairs affirmed that India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is Set to Visit Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit.

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to visit Pakistan on October 15, 2024, to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. This visit comes amidst the backdrop of historically strained relations between the two neighboring countries. The summit is significant as Pakistan currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) and will be hosting the two-day event in Islamabad.

Pakistan’s Invitation to Indian Leadership

In a diplomatic move, Pakistan had extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the summit. However, it has been confirmed that External Affairs Minister Jaishankar will represent India at the meeting instead. This marks a rare instance of high-level Indian participation in an event hosted by Pakistan, reflecting the broader regional engagement within the SCO framework.

The visit follows Pakistan’s hosting of the in-person SCO Heads of Governments Meeting, which will focus on issues ranging from economic cooperation to socio-cultural and humanitarian initiatives among the member states. The meeting will be preceded by a ministerial gathering and multiple senior officials’ meetings aimed at furthering cooperation on critical regional issues.

A Regional Powerhouse: The SCO

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), of which India, Pakistan, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are members, has grown into one of the largest and most influential trans-regional international organizations. The bloc is primarily focused on enhancing regional security, economic cooperation, and addressing common challenges such as terrorism and extremism.

India’s participation in the SCO allows for engagement with both regional partners and competitors, including Pakistan and China. Despite their differences, both India and Pakistan continue to play active roles in the SCO, using it as a platform for dialogue and cooperation.

Bilateral Relations and Previous Engagements

While the SCO promotes multilateral dialogue, the bilateral relations between India and Pakistan have remained tense, particularly since India’s abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which altered the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. This move led Pakistan to downgrade its diplomatic ties with India, further straining the relationship.

Despite these ongoing challenges, there have been notable diplomatic interactions through the SCO. For instance, in May 2023, Pakistan’s then-Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India for the first time in 12 years to attend the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Goa. This meeting was seen as an effort to maintain some level of diplomatic engagement, even as tensions over cross-border terrorism and the Kashmir issue persist.

India’s Position on Relations with Pakistan

India has consistently stated its desire for normal, peaceful relations with Pakistan, but has made it clear that the onus is on Islamabad to create an atmosphere conducive to dialogue. New Delhi insists that Pakistan must take concrete steps to curb terrorism and cease hostilities for meaningful bilateral engagement to occur.

The Kashmir issue, a long-standing point of contention, continues to be a significant barrier to improving relations. India’s position remains firm that cross-border terrorism originating from Pakistan must stop before any substantive talks can resume. This stance has been reiterated by Indian leaders on numerous occasions, including in international forums.

SCO as a Platform for Dialogue

The SCO summit provides a rare opportunity for Indian and Pakistani leaders to engage diplomatically, albeit in a multilateral setting. While the summit will largely focus on regional economic and security cooperation, any side discussions or interactions between Indian and Pakistani officials could be crucial in determining the future trajectory of their relations.

India hosted the SCO Summit virtually in 2023, which was attended by Pakistan’s then-Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif via video link. This marked another instance of cautious engagement between the two nations under the SCO framework, which allows both countries to maintain diplomatic ties while avoiding direct bilateral confrontation.