New Delhi has invited Pakistan’s National Heritage and Culture Minister, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, to attend the inaugural Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Civilisational Dialogue Forum in November, marking a significant diplomatic development amid continuing tensions between the two neighbouring countries.
India has invited Pakistan to participate in the first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum, scheduled to take place in New Delhi on November 20–22, 2026. The invitation has been extended to Pakistan’s Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, along with representatives from other SCO member states.
The invitation is particularly notable because it comes amid strained relations between India and Pakistan following the military confrontation in May 2025. The proposed gathering would bring officials from both countries together through a multilateral cultural initiative rather than direct bilateral negotiations.
Pakistan has not yet confirmed whether Khichi or another representative will attend. Officials in Islamabad are reviewing the invitation and are expected to make a decision following internal consultations.
India Extends Invitation Under the SCO Framework
The invitation reflects India’s continued participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a regional grouping that brings together countries across Asia and Eurasia.
India and Pakistan are both full members of the organisation, alongside China, Russia, Iran, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Despite their longstanding disputes, both countries continue to participate in SCO meetings, which provide a platform for discussions on regional cooperation, security, connectivity and cultural engagement.
The proposed Civilisational Dialogue Forum was announced as an Indian initiative after Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed creating a platform to promote exchanges between the civilisations represented within the organisation. SCO leaders subsequently agreed to the initiative.
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reiterated the invitation to all SCO member countries while addressing the organisation’s Council of Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on October 20.
The November event is intended to encourage participating countries to share their historical experiences, cultural traditions and intellectual heritage.
Why Pakistan’s Participation Matters
If a Pakistani minister attends the forum, it would mark the first time an Indian-hosted SCO event has brought a Pakistani minister to India since former Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari visited Goa in May 2023.
Bhutto-Zardari travelled to India to participate in the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting. His visit was significant because it represented a rare high-level engagement between the two countries amid deteriorating bilateral relations.
Relations have remained difficult since then, particularly following the military confrontation between India and Pakistan in May 2025.
The invitation to Khichi does not, however, indicate a broader diplomatic breakthrough. It has been extended within the framework of a multilateral organisation in which both countries are members.
Whether Pakistan accepts the invitation will determine whether the meeting provides another opportunity for official contact between the two sides.
The development also illustrates how multilateral organisations can maintain channels of communication even when bilateral relations remain strained.
Forum to Highlight Shared Civilisational Heritage
The SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum is designed to promote cultural understanding and strengthen people-to-people connections among participating countries.
According to reports, the programme is expected to cover four major themes: religious and philosophical traditions, art and architecture, languages and literary traditions, and cultural expressions and living heritage.
The discussions are intended to showcase the diversity of the SCO’s member countries while identifying historical and cultural connections across the region.
New Delhi’s selection of Purana Qila, also known as the Old Fort, as the venue is significant to the event’s cultural focus. The historic site contains archaeological evidence of settlements spanning multiple periods of Indian history.
The forum is expected to bring together culture ministers, government officials, scholars, heritage professionals and representatives of cultural institutions.
Organisers aim to use the gathering to encourage exchanges of knowledge and strengthen cooperation in preserving and promoting cultural heritage.
India Continues Engagement With Pakistan Through the SCO
India’s invitation to Pakistan comes as both countries continue engaging through the SCO despite limited progress in their bilateral relationship.
In September 2026, an Indian delegation led by SCO National Coordinator Alok Amitabh Dimri visited Islamabad for a meeting of national coordinators. The discussions focused on the organisation’s activities under Pakistan’s chairmanship, including preparations for future meetings and regional cooperation.
India has maintained that participation in the SCO provides opportunities to address regional issues within a multilateral framework.
The organisation’s agenda includes security cooperation, economic development, trade, connectivity and cultural exchanges. Its membership brings together countries with different political systems and foreign-policy priorities.
For India and Pakistan, the SCO therefore offers a channel for official engagement even when direct bilateral dialogue faces difficulties.
However, participation in an SCO event should not automatically be interpreted as a change in either country’s position on outstanding disputes.
Diplomatic Implications Remain Uncertain
The invitation places attention on Pakistan’s next move. Islamabad must decide whether to send its culture minister or another official delegation to the November gathering.
If Pakistan participates, the forum could provide an opportunity for representatives of the two countries to interact on cultural matters in a multilateral setting.
Nevertheless, any wider diplomatic significance will depend on the level of representation, the nature of discussions and subsequent developments in bilateral relations.
India and Pakistan continue to face serious disagreements, and the cultural forum is not designed to resolve those disputes directly.
Its immediate purpose is to promote dialogue among SCO members through their shared and distinct civilisational traditions.
Conclusion
India’s invitation to Pakistani Culture Minister Aurangzeb Khan Khichi for the inaugural SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum represents another instance of engagement between the two neighbours through a multilateral platform.
Scheduled for November 20–22 in New Delhi, the event will focus on cultural heritage, religious and philosophical traditions, literature, architecture and people-to-people exchanges.
Pakistan has yet to confirm its participation, leaving the next step with Islamabad.
If a Pakistani minister attends, the visit would mark the first such ministerial participation in an Indian-hosted SCO event since 2023. While the invitation does not signal a comprehensive improvement in bilateral relations, it highlights the continued role of the SCO in providing opportunities for regional dialogue despite political tensions.