Islamabad is set to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit on October 15-16, 2024. This significant diplomatic event will see the participation of various regional leaders, including India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Prime Ministers from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran’s First Vice-President. The summit marks a critical milestone as it is the first high-level visit by an Indian official to Pakistan in nearly nine years, presenting an opportunity for Pakistan to showcase its diplomatic capabilities and strengthen ties with participating nations.
Understanding the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a permanent intergovernmental international body established on June 15, 2001, in Shanghai, China. The organization has evolved significantly, expanding to nine member countries with the inclusion of India and Pakistan in 2017. Russia advocated for India’s inclusion as a strategic partner, while China supported Pakistan to maintain a balance of power in the region.
India first became an observer in the SCO in 2005, participating regularly in its ministerial meetings that address crucial aspects of security and economic collaboration in the Eurasian region. Today, the SCO stands as a major economic and security coalition, recognized as one of the largest transregional international organizations.
Participants and Agenda of the SCO Summit 2024
Pakistan, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is hosting the summit as part of its rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG). The summit is set to focus on several critical issues, including regional security, economic cooperation, and combating terrorism.
The distinguished participants at the summit include:
- S. Jaishankar – Indian External Affairs Minister
- Li Qiang – Chinese Premier
- Mikhail Mishustin – Russian Prime Minister
- Mohammad Reza Aref – Iranian First Vice-President
- Roman Golovchenko – Belarusian Prime Minister
- Olzhas Bektenov – Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister
- Zhaparov Akylbek – Kyrgyzstan’s Ministers Cabinet Chairman
- Kokhir Rasulzoda – Tajikistan’s Prime Minister
- Abdulla Aripov – Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister
- Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai – Mongolian Prime Minister
- Shehbaz Sharif – Prime Minister of Pakistan
- Rashid Meredov – Turkmenistan’s Cabinet of Ministers’ Deputy Chairman
- Zhang Ming – SCO Secretary General
- Ruslan Mirzayev – SCO RATS Executive Committee Director
- Atif Ikram Shaikh – SCO Business Council Chairman of the Board
- Marat Yelibayev – SCO Interbank Union Chairman of the Council
Backdrop of the Summit: India-Pakistan Tensions
The SCO Summit 2024 occurs amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, primarily fueled by the 2019 Pulwama attack and the subsequent Indian airstrike in Pakistan. Relations further deteriorated following India’s announcement on August 5, 2019, to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and its division into two union territories.
These unresolved issues, particularly regarding cross-border terrorism and the Kashmir conflict, continue to loom large. Although Jaishankar’s visit is of significant importance, both India and Pakistan have dismissed the prospect of any bilateral discussions during the summit. Jaishankar has reiterated India’s commitment to fostering peaceful relations but emphasized that these goals cannot be achieved without addressing terrorism originating from Pakistan.
Former Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursheed Mahmood Kasuri has characterized Jaishankar’s trip to Islamabad as a ‘positive step’, indicating that it could potentially help ease tensions between the two countries. This sentiment comes after Jaishankar’s comments underscoring the improbability of bilateral talks during his visit.
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