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This week WorldView comes to you from Pakistan. S. Jaishankar traveled to Islamabad for the SCO and meetings with Pakistan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.

Dr. Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan for one of many firsts:

– First visit by any Indian minister since 2016- when Home Minister Rajnath Singh attended the SAARC meet

– First visit by an Indian Foreign Minister since 2015- when EAM Sushma Swaraj attended the Heart of Asia conference

– Jaishankar’s first visit since December 2015, when EAM Sushma Swaraj and PM Modi visited

What happened at the SCO?

Now the SCO meeting itself was not the highest level, but Heads of Govt level of the 10 SCO countries Russia, China 4 Central Asian States Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Iran, Belarus, Pakistan and India.

The Meeting itself saw the signing 8 MoUs, mainly on economic cooperation, as well as passing the budget ahead of the next SCO Summit in China in 2025.

More importantly both India and Pakistan stayed away from the finger pointing of past meetings.

In stark contrast to former FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who travelled to Goa for the SCO FM, Mr. Sharif made no oblique reference to Kashmir.

And Mr. Jaishankar spoke about India’s concerns on terrorism, using only SCO charter language that identifies Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism as the evils the region is grappling with.

Jaishankar also made a reference to China’s BRI and India’s objections to it passing through disputed PoK- saying territorial sovereignty must be respected.

On the sidelines Jaishankar met with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar twice- once at dinner and once at a lunch both hosted by PM Sharif, and they are understood to have held “informal conversations. However, the MEA played down the substance of the talks.

“In Islamabad, you would have seen, the only bilateral meeting that our External Affairs Minister had was with Mongolia. Other than that, there were some pleasantries which were exchanged on the sidelines of the meeting, especially during lunch and dinner. That is all,” said Randhir Jaiswal.

Perhaps the clearest signal of some softening came not from the official, but non-official side, as former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the elder brother of PM Shehbaz and Father of Pakistan Punjab CM Maryam Sharif sat down with Indian journalists to talk about his vision for a better state of relations. Here are the highlights:

– He said India and Pakistan must bury the past and loo.k to future cooperation in trade, energy, battling climate change- but declined to respond on past issues of terrorism for India and Kashmir for Pakistan.

– That he appreciated Mr. Modi’s Lahore visit, calling it no small gesture and attacked former PM Imran Khan for his personal criticism of Modi in 2019, comparisons to Hitler and Mussolini

– That he believes trade, rail and road links should be restored, that Pakistan snapped in 2019, high commissioners should be reappointed, and India and Pakistan cricket teams should resume playing in each other’s countries- beginning with the Champions trophy in Pakistan in February.

– Mr. Sharif’s message was the third in a series- In May he said that the Kargil war was a mistake, and the MEA welcomed what it called an “objective view” on Pakistani actions. In June he tweeted congratulations to PM Modi on his third term, and PM Modi responded warmly.

– Mr. Sharif is not in office, and so unclear whether he spoke for the government, but he is the president.

Timing for any new opening:

1. Both elections this year- governments are expected to be stable

2. Conflicts in other parts of the world- no appetite for hostilities between India and Pakistan

3. Pakistan economy troubles

4. Allegations against India from US, Canada, Qatar- and Pakistan- this may be time to address

5. South Asian turmoil- time to revive regional cooperation

Worldview Take:

Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan, while purely for multilateral purposes, signals a possible opening for engagement. To begin with, if India can send a minister to Pakistan for one regional cooperation meet like SCO, then why not another like SAARC. The two countries have too much bad blood for any real optimism for the future, but visits like this one can build the atmosphere for the restoration of ties- in the present trough- even the absence of negativity is a positive step.

Reading recommendations:

Poles Apart: The Military and Democracy in India and Pakistan by Aditya Sondhi

Anger Management: The Troubled Diplomatic Relationship between India and Pakistan by Ajay Bisaria

India’s Pakistan Conundrum: Managing a Complex Relationship by Sharat Sabharwal

The People Next Door: The Curious History of India-Pakistan Relations by T.C.A. Raghavan

Hostility by Abdul Basit

An Indian Woman in Islamabad: 1997-2000 by Ruchi Ghanashyam

In Pursuit of Peace: India-Pakistan Relations Under Six Prime Ministers by Satinder Kumar Lambah

Script and presentation: Suhasini Haidar

Production: Shibu Narayan and Sabika Syed

File picture of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar
| Photo Credit: ANI

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday (October 15, 2024) landed in Islamabad, Pakistan, to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), in the first visit to Pakistan by a senior Indian minister in years.

Mr. Jaishankar was greeted at the Nur Khan airbase by senior Pakistani officials.

It is the first time in nearly nine years that India’s foreign minister travelled to Pakistan even as the ties between the two neighbours remained frosty over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

The last Indian Foreign Minister to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj. She had travelled to Islamabad in December 2015 to attend a conference on Afghanistan.

Earlier in the day, India said it remains actively engaged in various mechanisms of the SCO.

Pakistan is hosting the two-day SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit on October 15 and 16.

“The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the Organisation,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

“External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will represent India at the meeting. India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework,” it said in a brief statement in New Delhi.

In the evening, Mr. Jaishankar is likely to attend a banquet reception to be hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to welcome the delegates from the SCO member nations, people familiar with the matter said.

Both sides have already ruled out any bilateral talks between Mr. Jaishankar and his Pakistan counterpart Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the SCO heads of the government summit.

Mr. Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan assumes significance as it is seen as a significant decision on New Delhi’s part.

In his recent address at an event, Jaishankar said “like with any neighbour, India would certainly like to have good relations with Pakistan.”

“But that cannot happen by overlooking cross-border terrorism and indulging in wishful thinking.”

The decision to send the senior minister is seen as a display of India’s commitment to the SCO.

China’s President Xi Jinping with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the SCO summit in Astana on July 3.
| Photo Credit: AFP

China is seeking to strengthen its leadership of an expanding bloc of nations it sees as a potential counterweight to the world order led by the United States.

Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states met last week in Kazakhstan, with President Xi Jinping calling on strategic ally Russia and other partners to “firmly support each other”.

Founded in 2001 by Beijing and Moscow as an economic and security grouping, it includes India, Pakistan and several Central Asian states. It expanded last year to include Iran and this year welcomed Belarus. The talks in Astana took place ahead of this week’s NATO summit in Washington, where the Western military alliance is marking its 75th anniversary and reaffirming its support for Ukraine. In stark contrast, the SCO’s joint declaration made no mention of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

With China assuming the annual rotating chair of the SCO, analysts expect it will work to integrate the two new members and boost collaboration across its vast remit — bolstering, in turn, its own leadership of the alliance.

“The SCO is increasingly defining itself as an alternative vision for world order, juxtaposed against the traditional postwar order led by the United States and other Western powers,” said Bates Gill, a senior fellow for Asian security at the U.S.-based National Bureau of Asian Research.

The bloc’s expansion to include new members could be seen as echoing China’s and Russia’s repeated calls for their vast region to resist Western influence.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a meeting, in Astana, Kazhakstan.
| Photo Credit: PTI

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, raised the issue of Indian nationals in the war zone and pressed for their safe return during a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov here.

Mr. Jaishankar arrived here on Tuesday. July 2, to represent India at the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

“Good to meet Russian FM Sergey Lavrov in Astana today. Wide ranging conversation on our bilateral partnership and contemporary issues. Noted the progress in many areas since our last meeting in December 2023,” Mr. Jaishankar posted on X.

FMs meet ahead of Modi-Putin talks

The meeting between the two Foreign Ministers happened days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visit to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Raised our strong concern on Indian nationals who are currently in the war zone. Pressed for their safe and expeditious return,” he added in his post, which also had photos from the meeting.

The External Affairs Minister also discussed the global strategic landscape and exchanged assessments and views with Mr. Lavrov.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr. Jaishankar met Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu and discussed expanding Strategic Partnership and India’s increasing engagement with Central Asia in various formats.

He also exchanged views on regional and global issues with Nurtleu, who also holds the portfolio as Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister.

China’s President Xi Jinping. File
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

The situation in Afghanistan, the Ukraine conflict and boosting overall security cooperation among the SCO member countries are expected to figure in the summit.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 24th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana this week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on June 30. He will also pay a state visit to Tajikistan, it said.

From July 2 to 6, President Xi will attend the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in Astana, the Ministry said.

Officials say the situation in Afghanistan, the Ukraine conflict and boosting overall security cooperation among the SCO member countries are expected to figure in the summit.

The SCO, comprising India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, is an influential economic and security bloc that has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations.

S. Jaishankar, Wang Yi likely to meet

India will be represented by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) earlier said.

Officials say there is a likelihood of a meeting on the sidelines of the summit between Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is expected to accompany Mr. Xi.

If it takes place, it will be the first high-level meeting between Indian and Chinese officials after the formation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 3.0 government following the recent general elections in India.

Generally, the Indian prime minister participates in the SCO summit, providing an opportunity for Indian and Chinese leaders on the sidelines of the heads of the state meeting of the eight-member bloc.

But since Mr. Modi has decided to skip it, significance is attached to the likely meeting between Mr. Jaishankar and Mr. Wang in the light of four-year-long frozen relations between the two countries over the standoff in Eastern Ladakh.

Frosty relationship between India and China

Relations between the two countries hit a low except for trade ever since the eastern Ladakh border stand-off erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong Tso (lake) area near Galwan.

Since the May 2020 clashes, the two sides have held 21 rounds of Corps Commander-level talks so far to resolve the stand-off. The 22nd meeting is due to be held. 

According to the Chinese military, the two sides have so far agreed to disengage from four points namely the Galwan Valley, the Pangong Lake, Hot Springs, and Jianan Daban (Gogra) in eastern Ladakh.

India is pressing the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to disengage from the Depsang and Demchok areas, maintaining that there cannot be restoration of normalcy in its relations with China as long as the state of the borders remains abnormal.

For its part, China continues to maintain that the boundary question does not represent the entirety of China-India relations, and it should be placed appropriately in bilateral relations and managed properly.

Kazakhstan is hosting the summit in its capacity as the current chair of the grouping.

India was the chair of the SCO last year. It hosted the SCO summit in the virtual format in July last year.

India has shown a keen interest in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence.

The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Pakistan became its permanent member along with India in 2017. 

File picture of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar
| Photo Credit: via Reuters

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will represent India at the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Astana next week as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to skip it.

Mr. Modi is set to visit Russia from July 8 to 9 in his first trip to that country in nearly five years. After concluding the visit to Russia, he is likely to travel to Austria on July 9 on a two-day trip.

It is learnt that Mr. Modi decided to skip the SCO summit in view of his planned two-nation trip to Russia and Austria. There is no official confirmation on Mr. Modi’s visit to the two countries yet.

The SCO summit to be held on July 3 and 4 is expected to focus on the regional security situation and ways to boost connectivity and trade.

“The Indian delegation at the SCO summit will be led by external affairs minister S. Jaishankar,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing on Friday.

The situation in Afghanistan, the Ukraine conflict and boosting overall security cooperation among the SCO member countries are expected to figure in the summit.

The SCO comprising India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan is an influential economic and security bloc that has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations.

Generally, the Indian prime minister participates in the SCO summit.

In a phone conversation on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi conveyed to Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev India’s full support for the success of the summit.

Kazakhstan is hosting the summit in its capacity as the current chair of the grouping.

India was the chair of the SCO last year. It hosted the SCO summit in the virtual format in July last year.

India’s association with the SCO began in 2005 as an observer country. It became a full member state of the SCO at the Astana summit in 2017.

India has shown a keen interest in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence.

The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Pakistan became its permanent member along with India in 2017.

New Delhi:

India on Friday emphasised on the need to adopt a “zero-tolerance approach” towards terrorism in all its forms for prosperity and development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states, officials said.

Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane put forth New Delhi’s assertion in this regard as he participated in the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan.

“During the meeting, a protocol was signed by the defence ministers of all SCO member states. A Joint Communique was issued after the meeting, in which the SCO defence ministers agreed, amongst other initiatives, to developing the idea of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, which is rooted in the ancient Indian philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’,” the defence ministers said in a statement.

During the meeting, the defence secretary reiterated India’s steadfast commitment towards maintaining peace, stability and security in the SCO region, it said.

He emphasised on the “need to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism in all its forms for prosperity and development of the SCO member states”.

Giridhar Aramane mentioned about India’s long-standing proposal of Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the United Nations.

He also highlighted the concept of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), proposed by India for the Indo-Pacific. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)