Pakistan invites PM Modi for SCO meet in October
Pakistan has extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting. Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, spokesman for Pakistan's Foreign Office, stated at her weekly news briefing that Islamabad had sent invitations to the heads of countries to attend the summit. "An invitation has also been sent to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi," she said, adding that some countries had already confirmed their participation.
PM Modi unlikely to attend
Analysts consider the offer as a "protocol," since PM Modi is unlikely to accept given the tense relationship between the two neighboring countries. PM Modi may send a ministerial delegation to represent India at the SCO summit, as participation by heads of state is not mandatory. Last year, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar attended a similar gathering in Bishkek on behalf of India.
Pakistan to host CHG meeting as current chair
"Extending invitations to PM Modi and all other member states is a compulsive protocol any host country follows. Pakistan has done the same," political analyst Kamran Yousaf said. Pakistan will host the CHG meeting in October, due to its current position as the rotating chair of the council. The council is the second most significant decision-making body within the SCO, following the Council of Heads of State. The event is scheduled for October 15-16 in Islamabad.
India's stance on SCO and China's influence
India is a full member of the SCO, a group led by Russia and China. The country sees the organization as crucial for regional security and collaboration with Central Asian nations. However, India remains wary of China's influence within the SCO and its attempts to position the group as an anti-West platform. Unlike other member states, India has consistently declined to endorse China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in SCO joint statements.
SCO: A platform for India-Pakistan cooperation
Despite strained relations since 2015, the SCO has served as a platform where India and Pakistan have managed to cooperate. This collaboration is facilitated by the SCO Charter, which prohibits member states from raising bilateral issues. Indian delegations have participated in SCO exercises held in Pakistan and vice versa. However, recent terror attacks in Jammu could potentially deter any high-profile ministerial visit to Pakistan for the upcoming CHG meeting.
