New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to visit Pakistan later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting. This marks the first visit by an Indian Foreign Minister to Pakistan in nine years, the last being Sushma Swaraj in 2015.
Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced on Friday that Mr. Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation at the summit, which is set to take place in Islamabad on October 15 and 16. “The External Affairs Minister will participate in the SCO summit in Pakistan, strictly for the purpose of attending the meeting,” Mr. Jaiswal emphasized. In August, Pakistan had extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the summit.
The decision to send Mr. Jaishankar comes amid strained relations between India and Pakistan since the Pulwama terror attack in February 2019, followed by India’s Balakot airstrikes targeting a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp. Tensions escalated further after Pakistan’s strong opposition to India’s revocation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
India has consistently maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter and has criticized Pakistan’s interference on the issue. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly last week, Mr. Jaishankar warned Pakistan that its policy of cross-border terrorism would not succeed and subtly referenced its economic challenges.
“Some countries face setbacks due to circumstances beyond their control, while others make conscious choices with detrimental outcomes. A prime example is our neighbor, Pakistan. Unfortunately, their actions adversely impact others in the region,” the minister stated.
Demonstrating Commitment
Despite the ongoing tensions, Mr. Jaishankar’s upcoming visit is seen as a testament to India’s commitment to the SCO, which plays a crucial role in enhancing regional security cooperation. Sushma Swaraj’s visit in 2015 was for a conference focused on Afghanistan.
The SCO is a significant economic and security alliance comprising China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and India. Founded in 2001 in Shanghai, India joined as an observer in 2005 and became a full member alongside Pakistan in 2017.
In 2023, India held the chairmanship of the SCO and hosted the summit virtually in July.
