External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during an informal dinner hosted by the latter in Islamabad on Tuesday. The meeting took place as part of the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit.

This marks the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly nine years, amid strained bilateral relations due to cross-border terrorism issues. The last visit by an Indian foreign minister was by Sushma Swaraj.

Jaishankar arrived in Islamabad via Nur Khan airbase at around 3:30 pm (local time), where he was received by senior officials. The two-day SCO summit is being held under strict security, leading to the closure of key routes and businesses in Islamabad and nearby Rawalpindi.

While Jaishankar and Pakistani Finance Minister Ishaq Dar are attending the summit, both sides have ruled out any formal bilateral talks. Other prominent leaders attending include Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and other high-ranking officials from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Iran.

Jaishankar's visit is seen as a significant diplomatic gesture. However, in a recent statement, he emphasized that improving relations with Pakistan would not be possible without addressing cross-border terrorism.