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India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar at  SCO Summit 2024

7 minutes read

India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar at  SCO Summit 2024

7 minutes read

India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, recently attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Islamabad, a notable high-level visit to Pakistan after nearly a decade. Although the focus of the visit was the multilateral agenda of the SCO, Jaishankar’s participation carried significant symbolic weight given the long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan. His presence highlighted India’s commitment to regional diplomacy, while reinforcing its firm stance on cross-border terrorism.

During the summit, Jaishankar made it clear that India’s position on terrorism remained unwavering. He reiterated that any form of meaningful cooperation in South Asia, whether multilateral or bilateral, depends on the cessation of terrorism. His remarks, though measured, emphasized India’s core grievance with Pakistan, stressing the SCO Charter’s principles of combating terrorism, extremism, and separatism. Jaishankar’s speech underscored the view that terrorism and diplomacy cannot coexist, a consistent theme in India’s foreign policy toward Pakistan.

Although the visit did not yield any formal bilateral talks, Jaishankar’s presence at the SCO in Islamabad indicated that India is open to participating in regional cooperation through multilateral platforms. There were brief, informal interactions between Jaishankar and Pakistani officials, but the absence of formal dialogue reflected the deep strain in bilateral relations. Nevertheless, the optics of the visit suggested that India remains engaged with broader regional diplomacy, even in the midst of frozen relations with Pakistan.

Multilateral Diplomacy as a Strategic Approach

Jaishankar’s participation in the SCO summit underscored the value of multilateral diplomacy in managing complex relationships like that of India and Pakistan. The SCO, primarily focused on regional security, counter-terrorism, and economic collaboration, provided a neutral platform for both countries to signal their respective positions. While the summit did not lead to any major breakthroughs, it allowed for indirect diplomatic engagement, a hallmark of multilateral forums. Such platforms offer opportunities for diplomatic signaling without the pressures of formal bilateral talks.

In contrast to past interactions, such as Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s visit to Goa in 2023 for the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting, Jaishankar’s visit had a more cautious, muted tone. Bilawal’s visit was marked by sharp rhetorical exchanges, while Jaishankar’s trip to Islamabad was quieter, focusing on measured diplomatic signals. The SCO summit provided both sides with a chance to gauge each other’s positions, even without direct talks, demonstrating the importance of multilateral platforms in maintaining regional diplomacy.

For Pakistan, Jaishankar’s visit to Islamabad likely represented a cautious hope for the potential resumption of dialogue, albeit through multilateral forums. Pakistan has long expressed a desire to re-engage in talks with India, but India’s position remains firm: dialogue will only take place in an environment free from terrorism. Jaishankar’s speech at the SCO summit reiterated this position, reinforcing India’s consistent stance that any forward movement in diplomacy must address the issue of cross-border terrorism.

SCO as a Diplomatic Forum

The SCO summit highlighted how multilateral diplomacy can serve as an indirect avenue for diplomatic engagement between India and Pakistan. While bilateral relations remain mired in security concerns, terrorism, and unresolved issues like Kashmir, platforms like the SCO allow both nations to engage within a broader regional context. This offers a way to keep channels of communication open, even if direct dialogue remains elusive.

Jaishankar’s visit to Islamabad for the SCO summit may not have resulted in any immediate breakthroughs, but it indicated that India is willing to engage in multilateral diplomacy, even when bilateral relations are strained. The participation of both nations in forums like the SCO can create opportunities for future dialogue, fostering conditions where more substantial diplomatic discussions could take place.

Ultimately, Jaishankar’s presence at the SCO summit, while largely symbolic, may help to soften the hardline positions that have dominated India-Pakistan relations. Multilateral platforms like the SCO provide a framework for indirect engagement and diplomacy, which could over time build the foundation for more meaningful discussions. However, the core issues of terrorism and security concerns will continue to shape the trajectory of this relationship, making sustained diplomatic efforts critical.

In conclusion, the SCO summit offered a small but significant opportunity for India and Pakistan to maintain diplomatic contact. While Jaishankar’s visit did not signal any shift in India’s policy, it reinforced the importance of multilateral diplomacy in navigating one of the most challenging diplomatic relationships in the region.

 

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