Pakistan has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting, scheduled for October 15-16 in Islamabad.
This invitation follows Pakistan’s rotation into the chairmanship of the CHG, the SCO’s second-highest decision-making body. It is unlikely that Modi will travel to Islamabad due to strained relations between India and Pakistan, The Times Of India reported.
Last year, External Affairs Minister Minister S Jaishankar attended the CHG meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. PM Modi, who has regularly attended the SCO heads of state summits, missed this year’s summit in Kazakhstan due to a Parliament session. The SCO, led by Russia and China, is crucial for regional security and cooperation.
Despite this, India remains cautious about China’s influence in the group. Indian and Pakistani delegations have participated in SCO exercises and meetings, though high-profile visits remain rare. Recent tensions, caused by the surge in terror attacks in Jammu, may affect India’s decision on the invitation.
India and Pakistan’s relationship remains complex, with Pakistan seeking to reverse India’s abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, a move India views as non-negotiable. The last visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan was in 2015.
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