World · India Bureau
India extends SCO invitation to Pakistan despite military tensions
New Delhi has invited all Shanghai Cooperation Organisation members, including Pakistan, to a multilateral dialogue event in the capital. Officials stressed that the SCO initiative operates independently of bilateral relations between the two neighbours.
LSN India ·
India has extended an invitation to Pakistan for an upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation event in Delhi, marking a diplomatic engagement nearly 18 months after Operation Sindoor, the cross-border counter-terrorism strikes that heightened military tensions between the two nations.
Government officials clarified that the multilateral platform functions as an independent forum for dialogue among all member states, irrespective of bilateral tensions. The SCO, which includes India, Pakistan, China, Russia, and several Central Asian nations, continues to facilitate regional cooperation on security, economic, and cultural matters.
The invitation reflects India's commitment to the SCO framework as a mechanism for multilateral engagement in South and Southeast Asia. Officials reiterated that participation in the organisation's activities does not signal any shift in bilateral positions or constitute a resolution of outstanding issues between the two countries.
The development comes as both nations maintain their respective strategic postures while managing their presence within shared regional organisations. The SCO event underscores the dual reality of contemporary South Asian diplomacy, where countries engage through multilateral channels even as bilateral relations remain strained.