External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, marking a significant diplomatic moment as the first high-level visit from India to Pakistan in nearly a decade. The summit, scheduled for October 15-16, is being hosted under Pakistan’s rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG).
Jaishankar’s visit comes at a time when bilateral relations between India and Pakistan remain tense, primarily due to longstanding issues such as the Kashmir conflict, cross-border terrorism, and other geopolitical disputes. Despite these tensions, Jaishankar’s participation in the SCO meeting underlines India’s continued engagement with regional multilateral platforms. His visit is expected to last less than 24 hours and is focused on the SCO agenda, with no bilateral talks planned between him and his Pakistani counterpart, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who will represent Pakistan at the summit.
Focus of the SCO Summit
The 2024 SCO Summit will concentrate on key areas of regional cooperation, including security, trade, economic collaboration, and the ongoing fight against terrorism. According to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the summit will serve as a platform for discussing shared concerns and exploring avenues for greater cooperation among the SCO member states, which include China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
In an official statement, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “The 23rd Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) will be held on October 16, 2024, in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Pakistan. The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the organisation.”
The statement further emphasized India’s commitment to the SCO: “External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the meeting. India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework.”
No bilateral talks planned
While Jaishankar’s visit is historic, both India and Pakistan have made it clear that no bilateral discussions will take place between the two countries on the sidelines of the summit. Relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors have been particularly strained since 2019, when India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan has condemned India’s actions in the region and has continuously raised concerns about alleged human rights violations, while India has accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism.
Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan for the SCO meeting is strictly within the multilateral framework of the organisation, and Indian officials have reiterated that the focus will remain on the agenda of the summit, not on bilateral diplomacy.
Tight security measures in Islamabad
Given the diplomatic significance of the event and the high-profile nature of the attendees, Pakistan has deployed strict security measures in Islamabad and surrounding areas. Over 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed to ensure the safety of the around 900 delegates expected to attend the summit. Meetings are planned in both Islamabad and Rawalpindi, prompting the Pakistani government to enforce Section 144 in Rawalpindi until October 17, a measure that restricts public gatherings and political protests.
The summit is seen as a crucial event for Pakistan, which has been facing political instability and economic challenges. Hosting the SCO gives Islamabad an opportunity to project itself as a responsible regional actor and to strengthen ties with other member states, including China and Russia, who play a dominant role in the organisation.
The significance of Jaishankar’s visit
This is the first time in nine years that an Indian foreign minister has visited Pakistan. The last visit was in 2015 when then-External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj attended a regional conference on Afghanistan in Islamabad. Since then, diplomatic relations between the two countries have further deteriorated, especially after a series of terrorist attacks that India claims were orchestrated by Pakistan-based groups.
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Jaishankar’s presence at the SCO summit, despite the ongoing tension, reflects India’s broader strategy of maintaining its influence in multilateral organisations, particularly in Asia. The SCO, which was founded in 2001, is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance that plays a key role in regional cooperation, especially in counterterrorism efforts.
India, which became a full member of the SCO in 2017, has used its participation in the organisation to strengthen ties with Central Asian countries and to collaborate on issues such as security, energy, and connectivity. While the SCO offers a rare opportunity for India and Pakistan to engage on neutral ground, the summit’s agenda is expected to focus on regional issues rather than bilateral conflicts.
S Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan for the SCO Summit is a significant moment in South Asian diplomacy, marking the first high-level engagement between India and Pakistan in years. While the visit is limited to multilateral discussions, it underscores India’s commitment to regional cooperation through platforms like the SCO, even as bilateral relations with Pakistan remain fraught with tension. The summit offers an important stage for both countries to engage with other regional powers, including China and Russia, on pressing issues such as security and economic collaboration.
