India Sends Delegation To Pakistan For SCO National Coordinators’ Meeting

New Delhi: In a fresh instance of multilateral engagement between India and Pakistan, India’s SCO National Coordinator Alok Dimri has participated in the first meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Council of National Coordinators under Pakistan’s presidency in Islamabad.

The three-day meeting, being held from September 28 to 30, brings together national coordinators from SCO member states to coordinate the grouping’s upcoming programme and prepare for key engagements ahead. The meeting is being chaired by Pakistan’s National Coordinator Mohammad Faisal.

India’s participation comes as Pakistan begins its term as chair of the SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026-27, with Islamabad set to host the SCO Council of Heads of State summit in August 2027.

India Participates In Islamabad SCO Meeting

The focus of the meeting is SCO cooperation and coordination, which includes preparations for future meetings and events, the schedule of events scheduled under Pakistan's chairmanship, and other issues on the organization's agenda.

The discussions will also help set the groundwork for the SCO Council of Heads of State summit, which Pakistan is scheduled to host in Islamabad in August 2027.

The SCO currently has 10 member states, India, Pakistan, Russia, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus.

The fact that an Indian delegation is attending a SCO conference for the first time since the brief confrontation between India and Pakistan last year makes India's attendance in Islamabad particularly significant. Prior to this, on October 15–16, 2024, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar traveled to Islamabad to attend a meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government.

What Pakistan Plans Under Its SCO Presidency

Pakistan is holding the SCO Council of Heads of State chairmanship for 2026-27 with the theme “Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity.”

Under the theme, Islamabad has said it will focus on improving connectivity, encouraging innovation, expanding economic cooperation and strengthening people-to-people contacts.

The Foreign Office said, “In this regard, Pakistan's Chairmanship would focus on promoting greater connectivity, fostering innovation, enhancing economic cooperation, and strengthening people-to-people contacts.”

Pakistan has also said it wants to turn the shared vision of SCO members into practical initiatives. "Pakistan would work closely with all Member States and the SCO Secretariat to advance these priorities and further strengthen cooperation within the SCO," the Foreign Office said.

The national coordinators’ meeting provides an early platform for member states to coordinate Pakistan’s programme as chair and prepare for the various high-level meetings and activities planned during its tenure.

From Bishkek To Islamabad: The Road Ahead

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present at the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, earlier this month. He urged SCO nations to refrain from applying "double standards" when working together to combat terrorism during the conference.

Modi also presented India's security, connectivity, and opportunity-focused vision for the SCO. After 25 years, he said, the organization should concentrate on transforming collaboration into real results that help people in all ten of its member nations.

Under Pakistan's administration, the Islamabad gathering now starts the preparations for the next stage of the SCO calendar, which will culminate in the Council of Heads of State summit in August 2027.