In a significant diplomatic development, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation to Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting on October 15-16, 2024. This marks the first visit by an Indian External Affairs Minister to Pakistan in nearly a decade.
The meeting, which will be held in Islamabad, comes at a time when relations between India and Pakistan remain strained, particularly following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Pakistan had extended invitations to all SCO member states, including India, for this crucial gathering.
Jaishankar’s visit is notable as the last such trip was in 2015 when then-EAM Sushma Swaraj attended the Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference. During that visit, India and Pakistan agreed to initiate a Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue, although relations have since deteriorated.
The SCO meeting will take place amid ongoing protests in Pakistan over the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, with authorities ramping up security and disrupting communications in the capital to prevent demonstrations.
The visit may signal a diplomatic opportunity for dialogue, though India maintains that the onus is on Pakistan to create an environment free of terror for any meaningful engagement.