Modi gets rare invite for Islamabad visit

Pakistan sent a formal invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the summit meeting of the heads of state and government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), scheduled in the middle of October in Islamabad, official sources confirmed on Sunday.

According to the sources, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited Modi and other SCO leaders for the gathering of regional leaders on October 15 and 16 in Islamabad. This is the first time that Pakistan had invited the Indian leader in eight years.

Last time Modi was invited for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit in 2016. The summit never took place after India boycotted it and since then the regional organisation is all but dysfunctional.

However, skipping the SCO summit will not be easy for Modi given the presence of other powerful countries. If not in person, Modi may join virtually, as diplomatic sources were sceptical if the Indian prime minister would travel to Pakistan given the current state of bilateral relationship.

In the past such regional groupings provided an opportunity for the two countries to reset their ties. That seems unlikely now keeping in view the divergences in the positions of Pakistan and India for initiating the normalisation process.

SCO is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance, founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It has since expanded to include India, Pakistan, and Iran as full members, with Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia as observers.

Some other countries are also part of the organisation as dialogue partners.

The SCO is often seen as a counterbalance to Western alliances like NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organisation] and plays a significant role in fostering regional cooperation.

Pakistan attended all the meetings of the SCO, hosted by India last year either in person or virtually.

The then foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had visisted Goa for a meeting of the SCO foreign ministers in May 2023.

India had extended the invitation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the SCO summit held in New Delhi. Before Pakistan could take a decision whether to attend the summit, India suddenly decided to host the meeting virtually instead of in person.

It is believed that India took the decision at the last moment because of its tensions with China and Pakistan.

The SCO is pivotal in addressing regional security concerns, including terrorism, extremism, and separatism. It conducts joint military exercises and intelligence sharing among the member states.

The SCO promotes economic cooperation through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It seeks to enhance trade, energy partnerships, and infrastructure development across Eurasia.

It also provides a platform for the member states to align on major international issues, often advocating for a multipolar world order and challenging Western dominance in global affairs.

The 23rd SCO Summit was held on July 4, 2023, hosted by India via video conference. This summit marked a significant moment for the organization, as it was the first time India chaired the SCO after becoming its full member in 2017. Now, it is Pakistan's turn to host the high-profile meeting of SCO.