Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar’s Visit to Pakistan, No Intent for Bilateral Talks.

Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar is set to visit Pakistan on October 15 and 16 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. During this visit, he made it clear that there is no intention for any bilateral talks between India and Pakistan. He stated that this visit is solely for a multilateral event and is being made only because of the necessity of the SCO summit. Jaishankar, speaking at an event, said, “This visit will be for a multilateral event. I am not going there to discuss India-Pakistan relations. My purpose is to remain an active member of the SCO.” He also mentioned that media attention surrounding this visit is natural, but this trip is not for any form of dialogue.

Pakistan is hosting this year’s meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG), and leaders from all member countries have been invited. Providing details about his visit, Jaishankar said that this trip follows tradition, where either the Prime Minister or the Foreign Minister attends high-level meetings. “This year, the meeting is being held in Islamabad, and this is a new experience, as we have seen before,” he said.

Discussing the SCO’s functioning and the expectations of its members, Jaishankar said that the SCO has failed to achieve its objectives. The primary reason behind this is the issue of terrorism. He also pointed out that a neighboring country is supporting terrorism, which poses a threat to stability in the region. He stated, “Terrorism cannot be accepted. The activities of our neighboring country will bring about a change in the situation. This is why SAARC meetings have not been held in recent years.”

However, Jaishankar clarified that this does not mean regional activities have come to a halt. In fact, in the past 5-6 years, there have been several indications of regional integration in the Indian subcontinent. He said, “If you look at our relations with Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, you will see that railway lines are being reconstructed, roads are being developed, and power grids are being built.”

Thus, it is clear that the main purpose of Jaishankar’s visit is to ensure India’s participation in the SCO summit, not to engage in bilateral talks with Pakistan. He also added that he would behave like a gentleman and take the opportunity to engage in discussions with the leaders of all countries during the conference. Regarding this visit, Jaishankar also said, “We are ready to promote regional cooperation, but the issue of terrorism cannot be ignored.” This statement highlights that India remains vigilant about protecting its national interests and is maintaining a strong stance for regional stability.