Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar to Attend SCO Summit in Pakistan Amid Bilateral Tensions

INDC Network : New Delhi : Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar to Attend SCO Summit in Pakistan Amid Bilateral Tensions

Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar is set to visit Pakistan on October 15-16, 2024, to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit. Jaishankar's participation marks an important step in regional diplomacy despite the tense relations between India and Pakistan. While Pakistan had extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has chosen to send Jaishankar to represent the country due to the sensitive nature of bilateral relations.

Background of India-Pakistan Relations

India and Pakistan have a history of strained ties, particularly after the suspension of dialogue processes following major terrorist incidents over the years. Despite attempts to resume talks, relations remain hostile, mainly due to cross-border terrorism, territorial disputes, and mutual distrust. However, platforms like the SCO offer a multilateral framework where both nations engage, avoiding bilateral disputes while discussing broader regional issues.

Jaishankar’s visit is part of a broader trend where diplomatic and security exchanges between India and Pakistan occur in multilateral settings like the SCO. Although bilateral engagement remains frozen, India has participated in several SCO military exercises hosted by Pakistan, and vice versa. Notably, Pakistan’s then Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India in 2023 for the SCO foreign ministers' meeting, emphasizing that the organization allows member states to set aside bilateral disputes and focus on regional cooperation.

SCO's Role and India’s Position

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was established in June 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became full members in 2017 after being observers since 2005. The SCO is the largest regional organization in terms of geographical coverage and population, encompassing nearly 42 percent of the world’s population and 20 percent of global GDP. Often perceived as a counterbalance to NATO, the SCO aims to limit the influence of external powers, such as the United States, in Central Asia.

India’s entry into the SCO was backed by Russia, primarily to counterbalance China’s growing influence in the region. With geopolitical realities evolving, India's participation in the SCO has been influenced by its need to maintain a balance between its close ties with the United States and its membership in organizations like the SCO, where China and Russia play dominant roles.

The CHG, the second-highest decision-making body of the SCO after the Council of Heads of State, focuses on regional cooperation in economic, cultural, and security matters. The SCO serves as one of the few platforms where India and Pakistan work together, despite their inability to engage bilaterally. SCO’s charter prohibits the discussion of bilateral issues, allowing the two nations to engage on broader regional topics without addressing their own disputes directly.

Modi's Absence and SCO Summit Dynamics

Prime Minister Modi has regularly participated in previous SCO Heads of State summits, though he skipped this year’s meeting in Kazakhstan due to its overlap with the Indian Parliament’s session. This absence, however, did not diminish India’s commitment to the organization. The SCO remains an essential platform for India to engage with Eurasian powers, balancing its relationships with Russia and China. Even though India's strategic pivot toward the United States has intensified since 2014, the country continues to view the SCO as vital for regional stability and cooperation.

Pakistan’s hosting of the CHG summit as part of its rotational chairmanship reflects its growing role in the organization. Despite tensions with India, Pakistan has hosted Indian delegations for SCO-related events, underscoring the importance of the organization in facilitating cooperation among regional actors.

SAARC vs BIMSTEC

The absence of substantive dialogue between India and Pakistan has also impacted the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which has remained inactive since 2017. India has shifted its focus to the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), an organization that excludes Pakistan and includes countries from South and Southeast Asia.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal recently reiterated that India prefers BIMSTEC as a more productive forum for regional cooperation, given SAARC's stagnation. He alluded to a "particular country’s" actions that have obstructed SAARC’s progress, an indirect reference to Pakistan.

Conclusion : The SCO summit provides a critical opportunity for India to maintain its diplomatic engagement with regional powers while managing its complex relationship with Pakistan. Despite ongoing tensions, the multilateral setting of the SCO allows for constructive cooperation, especially on issues like terrorism, regional security, and economic collaboration. As India seeks to balance its relationships with Russia and China while pursuing deeper ties with the US, its participation in the SCO demonstrates the importance of multilateral diplomacy in addressing regional and global challenges.