India’s External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, will attend the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Pakistan, but there are no plans for bilateral discussions with Pakistan during the visit. Both countries have clarified that Jaishankar’s trip is focused solely on multilateral participation within the SCO framework.

This visit holds historical significance, marking the first time an Indian External Affairs Minister will visit Pakistan since Sushma Swaraj’s trip in 2015. Despite the potential for diplomatic interaction, both sides have reiterated that no formal talks on India-Pakistan relations are on the agenda.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, emphasized this when asked about the visit. Baloch referred to Jaishankar’s earlier remarks in which he stated that his participation in the summit is strictly multilateral and not intended for bilateral talks. "These remarks are self-explanatory," Baloch added.

Last week, Jaishankar confirmed that his visit to Pakistan on October 15-16 was specifically for the SCO Heads of Government meeting and clarified that India-Pakistan issues would not be discussed. Addressing a public event, he remarked, "I am going to Pakistan to be a good member of the SCO... I am not going there to discuss India-Pakistan relations."

Diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan have been strained since 2019, following Pakistan's decision to downgrade relations after India revoked Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Relations worsened after India’s Air Force conducted airstrikes in Balakot, Pakistan, in response to the Pulwama terror attack, which claimed the lives of over 40 Indian soldiers.