India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, has confirmed his upcoming visit to Pakistan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in 2024. While the announcement of his travel to Islamabad has garnered significant attention due to the historically tense relations between India and Pakistan, Jaishankar made it clear that his participation is solely focused on the objectives of the SCO and not on bilateral discussions between the two nations.

In a recent statement, Jaishankar emphasized that his visit should not be seen through the lens of India-Pakistan relations. “Since I am a civil person, I am going there for the SCO Summit,” he stated, making it clear that the purpose of his trip is diplomatic and tied to multilateral engagements. He further explained that India remains committed to the objectives of the SCO, which include fostering regional cooperation, enhancing connectivity, and addressing shared challenges like terrorism and economic development.

The SCO, which includes eight member countries such as China, Russia, and several Central Asian nations, serves as a platform for discussions on security, economic cooperation, and cultural exchanges. India and Pakistan, despite their differences, are both members of the SCO, which often necessitates interactions between their officials. However, Jaishankar underscored that his visit to Islamabad does not signal any change in India’s stance on Pakistan, noting that issues related to terrorism and cross-border violence remain key concerns for India.

Many analysts have interpreted Jaishankar’s remarks as an attempt to manage expectations surrounding the visit. While some had speculated about the possibility of informal talks between India and Pakistan on the sidelines of the summit, Jaishankar’s comments suggest that such a scenario is unlikely. Instead, the focus will be on broader regional issues that align with the SCO’s goals, with no intention of holding direct talks on bilateral matters.

This visit marks a rare trip by an Indian minister to Pakistan, given the strained diplomatic ties between the two countries. Relations have been particularly tense since the 2019 Pulwama attack and the subsequent revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status by India. Diplomatic channels between the two countries have been largely inactive, and high-level interactions have been limited to multilateral forums like the SCO.

As the SCO Summit approaches, all eyes will be on how India navigates the diplomatic environment in Pakistan. S. Jaishankar’s participation, while focused on multilateral cooperation, will still draw attention given the complex dynamics between the two nations. His firm stance that the visit is not about India-Pakistan relations reflects India’s cautious approach to maintaining a focus on larger regional issues while avoiding direct engagement on unresolved bilateral disputes.