External Affairs Minister **S. Jaishankar** is set to travel to **Pakistan** to participate in the **Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)** Council of Heads of Government meeting, scheduled to take place in **Islamabad** on **October 15-16**. India confirmed on **August 30** that it had officially received an invitation from Pakistan for this significant summit. Pakistan, which currently holds the **rotating chairmanship** of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG), will host this two-day meeting in person, making it a notable diplomatic occasion amid the often tense relations between India and Pakistan.
The meeting in Islamabad is expected to be preceded by a series of **ministerial-level talks** and multiple rounds of **senior officials' meetings**, aimed at fostering greater collaboration among SCO member states. These discussions will cover a broad array of topics, including **financial, economic, socio-cultural**, and **humanitarian cooperation**, in line with the SCO's agenda of promoting regional stability and development. As one of the largest trans-regional international organizations, the SCO has played a pivotal role in addressing pressing issues like **security challenges, counterterrorism**, and fostering **economic collaboration** across its member states.
The SCO was established in **2001** during a summit held in Shanghai, founded by the leaders of **Russia**, **China**, **Kyrgyzstan**, **Kazakhstan**, **Tajikistan**, and **Uzbekistan**. Since its inception, the bloc has expanded both its influence and membership. **India** and **Pakistan** joined the organization as permanent members in **2017**, and last year, during a virtual summit hosted by India, **Iran** was officially inducted as a permanent member, reflecting the organization's growing geopolitical significance.
The SCO represents a forum for these countries to address shared concerns, including **regional security, economic integration**, and **energy cooperation**, among others. The bloc has increasingly become a platform for promoting dialogue on **global governance**, while also providing a space for resolving regional disputes.Â
India hosted the **SCO Summit** in **2023**, which was conducted virtually due to logistical challenges, and the meeting saw the participation of prominent leaders from across the member states, including **Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif**, who joined via video link. With its return to in-person engagements, this year's summit brings heightened attention, especially in the context of India-Pakistan relations. Despite longstanding tensions, both countries continue to participate in the SCO as part of their broader diplomatic commitments to regional cooperation and multilateralism.
For India, the **SCO** represents an important venue to engage with not only Pakistan but also with other regional powers such as **China** and **Russia**, with whom it shares a multifaceted relationship. India's participation in the SCO aligns with its broader strategy to engage with Central Asian nations and leverage multilateral forums to boost economic, trade, and energy ties, while also promoting peace and stability in the region.
Additionally, the Islamabad summit will serve as a platform to highlight emerging geopolitical concerns, such as the situation in **Afghanistan**, regional counterterrorism efforts, and the economic impact of global events like the **Russia-Ukraine conflict**. It will be interesting to see if any bilateral discussions between India and Pakistan take place on the sidelines of the SCO meeting, as such events often provide opportunities for quiet diplomacy, even if no official bilateral talks are scheduled.
The broader focus of the **SCO** this year, in line with previous years, will likely emphasize **economic development**, **energy security**, **infrastructure projects**, and enhancing **connectivity** between member states, particularly as global economic conditions remain uncertain. By addressing shared challenges, the SCO aims to create a framework for sustained economic growth and political stability in a highly dynamic region.
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