Pakistan has extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad, despite ongoing tensions in Jammu and Kashmir. The summit, scheduled for October 15-16, will bring together leaders from member states of the SCO, an influential Eurasian political and security organization.
Pakistan to Host SCO Summit
As the current chair of the SCO’s Council of Heads of Government (CHG), Pakistan is set to host the summit in mid-October. The CHG is the second-highest decision-making body in the SCO, following the Council of Heads of State. Islamabad’s role as the host of this significant international event has drawn attention, particularly given the strained relations between India and Pakistan.
Modi’s Likely Absence
Reports suggest that Prime Minister Modi may skip the event, as he did earlier this year when he chose not to attend the CHG meeting in Kazakhstan, citing a conflict with the July parliamentary session. Last year, India was represented by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar at the CHG meeting in Bishkek. It remains unclear whether India will send a representative to the Islamabad summit or if it will seek to participate virtually.
India-Pakistan Relations Within the SCO
India and Pakistan, both full members of the SCO, have managed to work together within the organization despite their long standing bilateral issues. The SCO, led by Russia and China, serves as one of the few multilateral platforms where the two countries engage diplomatically. However, India remains cautious of the group’s anti-West stance and has consistently refused to endorse China’s Belt and Road Initiative in SCO joint statements.
The SCO’s charter prohibits member states from raising bilateral disputes during meetings, which has facilitated cooperation between India and Pakistan within the organization. Last year, Pakistan’s then-Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India for an SCO foreign ministers’ meeting, marking a rare instance of diplomatic engagement between the two nations.
Tensions and Potential Boycott
Several factors could influence India’s decision to skip the SCO summit in Islamabad. Recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, coupled with Pakistan’s continued criticism of India’s 2019 abrogation of Article 370, have further strained relations between the two countries. The last time an Indian foreign minister visited Pakistan was in 2015, when the late Sushma Swaraj travelled to Islamabad.
As the summit approaches, the international community will be watching closely to see how India navigates its participation in the SCO, balancing its commitment to multilateral diplomacy with the ongoing challenges in its relationship with Pakistan.
(With inputs from agencies)
