External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar To Lead Indian Delegation At SCO Meeting In Islamabad

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will head the Indian delegation at the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of Governments (CHG) meeting in Islamabad, scheduled for October 15-16, the External Affairs Ministry (MEA) announced on Friday.

During a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed, “The External Affairs Minister will lead our delegation to Pakistan to participate in the SCO Summit.” However, he clarified that no details are currently available regarding any potential bilateral engagements during Jaishankar’s visit.

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As part of standard protocol, Pakistan has extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the meeting. Jaishankar’s attendance aligns with the practice of ministerial delegations participating in SCO meetings, which do not require heads of state to be present.

Political analyst Kamran Yousaf noted, “Extending an invitation to PM Modi and all other member states is a compulsory protocol any host country follows. Pakistan has done the same. I do not see this as a political stunt. However, I do not expect PM Modi to land in Islamabad.”

Last year, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari attended the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in India, highlighting ongoing diplomatic interactions within the framework of the organization.