EAM S Jaishankar to travel to Pakistan for SCO Summit 2024 on...

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to visit Pakistan in mid-October to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting. This high-profile event will take place in Islamabad on October 15-16, marking a significant diplomatic moment between the two neighboring countries. India confirmed on August 30 that it had received an official invitation from Pakistan to participate in the upcoming SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting.

Pakistan currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) and, as a part of this role, will be hosting the two-day SCO Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad. This summit will be a physical gathering of leaders, following several virtual meetings due to the global pandemic in previous years.

In addition to the summit, a series of preparatory meetings and ministerial-level discussions will take place. These discussions will focus on several key areas such as financial cooperation, economic growth, socio-cultural ties, and humanitarian collaboration among the member states of the SCO. These preliminary rounds are intended to set the stage for productive talks during the main event.

The SCO was initially founded in 2001 during a summit in Shanghai. It was established by the presidents of six countries: Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Over time, the organisation has grown in influence, especially in the economic and security domains. India and Pakistan became permanent members of the SCO in 2017, and Iran officially joined the bloc last year during a virtual summit hosted by India.

The SCO has become one of the largest and most important trans-regional international organisations, dealing with a variety of issues from regional security to economic collaboration. Last year, India hosted the SCO summit, which took place virtually. Pakistan’s then-Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, participated in the event via video link.

As the Islamabad meeting approaches, the focus will be on how the SCO can continue to strengthen ties and cooperation among its member nations.

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