SCO Summit
Pakistan has formally extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, which is scheduled to take place in Pakistan on October 15 and 16.
This invitation has been sent to all heads of state from SCO member countries, including India.
The decision regarding the invitation is still pending from the Indian government. Reports from Indian media indicate that there is no official word yet on whether Prime Minister Modi will accept the invitation.
Speculation is circulating that India might opt to send a ministerial representative in place of Modi for the conference.
This invitation comes at a time of heightened tension between Pakistan and India. The two nations have been embroiled in a prolonged and contentious territorial dispute over Kashmir, a conflict that has further strained their diplomatic relations in recent years.
Despite these tensions, the SCO summit represents a significant opportunity for dialogue and engagement on regional issues.
The last instance of an Indian official visiting Pakistan for an SCO summit was in 2015 when then-Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj attended the event.
Since then, relations between the two countries have remained fraught with challenges, making this invitation particularly noteworthy in the context of current diplomatic dynamics.
It is uncertain whether Prime Minister Modi will choose to accept Pakistan’s invitation and attend the summit.
His attendance could serve as a potential turning point in the bilateral relations between the two countries, offering a platform for dialogue and potentially easing some of the ongoing tensions.
The international community will be closely watching the developments leading up to the summit to gauge the impact of this diplomatic gesture.
