In a significant diplomatic development, a senior Indian delegation visited Islamabad this week to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) preparatory meeting, marking the first official visit since Operation Sindoor last year.
The three‑day SCO National Coordinators’ meeting, which began on September 29, was led by Alok Dimri, Joint Secretary (Multilateral and Economic Relations) at the Ministry of External Affairs. The visit comes just days after India and Pakistan sparred at the UN General Assembly, trading sharp remarks over terrorism and the Kashmir issue.
During the meeting, Pakistan formally announced that it will host the SCO Summit in August 2027, setting the stage for high‑level engagements among member states. The Indian delegation’s participation signals New Delhi’s continued commitment to multilateral diplomacy, even amid strained bilateral ties.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had exchanged allegations in their UNGA addresses last week, followed by pointed replies from diplomats of both nations. Against this backdrop, India’s presence in Islamabad is being viewed as a pragmatic step to ensure regional cooperation under the SCO framework.
