SCO Council Meeting: Jaishankar’s First Official Visit to Pakistan in a Decade

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is set to visit Islamabad on October 15-16 for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting, marking the first visit by an Indian minister to Pakistan in a decade. Here’s a closer look at the SCO and its significance for India.

Jaishankar’s trip comes as Pakistan hosts the SCO summit, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Notable leaders attending include China’s Premier Li Qiang, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and officials from Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Iran.

Before his departure, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs made it clear that there would be no bilateral meeting between Indian and Pakistani leaders during this visit. In preparation for the summit, Islamabad has heightened security measures, deploying over 9,000 police and military personnel and banning political gatherings and protests.

What is the SCO?

Originally formed in 1996 as the ‘Shanghai Five,’ the SCO included China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. This grouping was established to enhance regional security, reduce border troop presence, and combat terrorism in the wake of the Soviet Union’s dissolution.

The SCO is increasingly viewed as a counterbalance to Western alliances, such as NATO, making its dynamics particularly important for India as it navigates its relationships within the region.