India announced on Friday that external affairs minister S Jaishankar would visit Pakistan this month to attend a key meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), making him the first foreign minister to travel to the neighboring country in nearly a decade -- a visit that could mark a milestone in relations between the two countries. However, there was no word on bilateral engagement during the day-long trip. Jaishankar will head the delegation that will represent India at the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government to be held in the Pakistani capital on October 15-16, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a media briefing, ending speculation about the level of India’s participation in the upcoming meet.
“The external affairs minister will lead our delegation to Pakistan to participate in the SCO Summit, which will be held in Islamabad on October 15-16,” Jaiswal said in response to a question.
Late former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj visited Islamabad in December 2015 for a meeting of the “Heart of Asia” format, a security conference focused on Afghanistan, and held talks with senior Pakistani leaders. The last high-level ministerial visit to Pakistan was when Rajnath Singh, in his former role as home minister, attended a meeting of the South Asian Association for Region Cooperation (Saarc) in August 2016.
Days after Swaraj’s visit to Islamabad in 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise stopover in Lahore, while returning home from a trip to Afghanistan, to wish then-Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif on his birthday on December 25. This was also the first visit to Pakistan by an Indian premier in 11 years. However, bilateral ties were hit soon after by a string of attacks on Indian military facilities by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
There have been a few visits by Indian and Pakistani officials to each other’s countries in recent years for Saarc or SCO-related meetings or for meetings under the aegis of the Indus Waters Treaty. Former Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited Goa last year to attend a meeting of SCO foreign ministers, which was marked by Jaishankar’s blistering attack on Pakistan for supporting terrorism after Bhutto Zardari made remarks critical of India during a media interaction.
The announcement of Jaishankar's visit to Islamabad is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it marks the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly a decade. The last high-level ministerial visit to Pakistan was in August 2016 when Rajnath Singh, in his former role as home minister, attended a meeting of the South Asian Association for Region Cooperation (Saarc). This visit comes at a time when bilateral relations between India and Pakistan have been strained due to various geopolitical and security issues.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a regional intergovernmental organization that focuses on political, economic, and security-related cooperation. It comprises eight member states, including India and Pakistan, and aims to promote regional stability and development. The SCO Summit, which Jaishankar will attend, provides a platform for member states to discuss and address common challenges and opportunities.
India's participation in the SCO Summit is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it demonstrates India's commitment to regional cooperation and multilateralism. By attending the summit, India can engage with other member states on various issues, including counter-terrorism, economic cooperation, and regional security. Secondly, it provides an opportunity for India to assert its position on key regional and global issues, including its stance on terrorism and its vision for regional connectivity and development.
Jaishankar's visit to Islamabad to attend the SCO Summit is a significant development in India-Pakistan relations. It marks the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly a decade and comes at a time when bilateral relations between the two countries are strained. While there is no word on any bilateral engagement during the visit, the fact that an Indian foreign minister is traveling to Pakistan is significant in itself. The visit presents both challenges and opportunities, and its impact on India-Pakistan relations will depend on various factors, including the willingness of both sides to engage in constructive dialogue.
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