Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to Visit Pakistan for SCO Summit

New Delhi — Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar is set to visit Pakistan later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of Government summit, according to Indian media reports. The summit will take place in Islamabad on October 15-16.

Confirming the visit, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced that Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation to the summit. The event will bring together leaders from SCO member countries, which include Pakistan, India, Russia, China, and Central Asian nations.

Pakistan had previously extended an official invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the summit, although it is unclear whether he will attend.

Both India and Pakistan are full-time members of the SCO, a group traditionally led by Russia and China. Despite tensions between the two nations, cooperation within the SCO framework has been possible as the organization’s charter prevents members from raising bilateral disputes during its meetings.

Last year, Pakistan’s then-Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India for an SCO foreign ministers’ meeting, underscoring the ability of both nations to participate in the multilateral platform despite ongoing diplomatic challenges. India’s participation comes amid its caution towards the SCO’s often anti-Western stance.