India Weighs SCO Participation Amidst Lingering Tensions with Pakistan
NEW DELHI: A recent diplomatic engagement in Islamabad has set the stage for renewed speculation regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s potential attendance at next year’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State summit. Alok Dimri, an Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, recently traveled to the Pakistani capital to participate in a meeting of national coordinators tasked with finalizing the agenda for upcoming high-level SCO events.
This visit, the first by an Indian official to Pakistan since the 2025 Pahalgam terrorist attack, underscores a pragmatic approach to regional diplomacy. While the SCO—a grouping dominated by China and Russia—has managed to remain largely shielded from the volatile bilateral relations between New Delhi and Islamabad, India’s stance remains one of cautious scrutiny.
The Hurdle of Cross-Border Terrorism
Despite the technical nature of the coordinators’ meeting, the question of whether Prime Minister Modi will make the journey to Pakistan remains firmly tethered to the state of bilateral relations. Indian officials have maintained a consistent position: there can be no return to “business as usual” as long as Pakistan continues to serve as a hub for cross-border militancy.
New Delhi has made it clear that it expects tangible and irreversible action against terrorism before any substantive diplomatic breakthrough can occur. Whether or not the Prime Minister attends the summit will depend on a multi-layered assessment of Pakistan’s conduct in the coming months, which will also influence the participation levels for upcoming meetings of defense and foreign ministers. While Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to formally invite regional leaders, including Mr. Modi, India’s historical tendency to send high-level representatives rather than the head of state—as seen with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s past attendance—remains a viable diplomatic lever.
Strategic Autonomy and Regional Connectivity
India’s continued commitment to the SCO is driven by broader geopolitical interests that extend well beyond its immediate neighborhood. Since becoming a full member in 2017, India has leveraged the bloc to reinforce its strategic autonomy, maintain critical ties with Russia, and facilitate the ongoing normalization of relations with China.
Furthermore, the SCO serves as a vital platform for addressing shared regional concerns, including security developments in Afghanistan and the push for greater connectivity across Central Asia. For India, the grouping offers a multilateral framework to pursue “common wellbeing and prosperity,” as noted by the coordinators during their recent sessions in Islamabad.
The successful finalization of the annual calendar, which focuses on trade, transit, and regional security, signals that the administrative machinery of the SCO remains functional despite the underlying friction between two of its prominent members. As the bloc prepares for the summit under Pakistan’s current chairmanship, India remains focused on ensuring that its participation serves its long-term strategic objectives while keeping the pressure on Islamabad to abandon its support for terrorism.
Ultimately, India’s decision regarding the Prime Minister’s travel will be a calculated move, balancing the need for regional integration against the non-negotiable imperative of national security. Until Pakistan demonstrates a genuine shift in its approach to regional stability, the prospect of a high-level diplomatic visit remains uncertain.
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