India Invites Pakistan to SCO Civilisational Dialogue in Delhi, 18 Months After Operation Sindoor
India has invited Pakistan and the other nine member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to attend the bloc’s inaugural Civilisational Dialogue Forum in New Delhi from November 20 to 22. The invitation comes nearly 18 months after Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
Officials said the invitation was extended to all SCO members and should be viewed as part of a multilateral initiative, rather than a shift in India’s bilateral relations with Pakistan. Pakistan’s National Heritage and Culture Minister, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, has also been invited.
India maintains its position on terrorism
The forum was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the SCO leaders’ summit in Tianjin last year. It is being organised jointly by the ministries of culture and external affairs.
India’s invitation to Pakistan comes amid continued tensions between the two countries following Operation Sindoor. Launched on May 7, the military operation lasted until the ceasefire on May 10. During the operation, Indian forces targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Indian Air Force also struck targets at 13 Pakistani airbases and military installations.
According to the report, the operation killed at least 100 terrorists.
Rajnath Singh delivers pointed message at SCO meeting
India has continued to raise concerns about Pakistan’s alleged support for terrorism at international forums.
On October 20, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called for collective action to dismantle terrorism during the 25th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The meeting was attended by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Ishaq Dar.
Singh stressed that terrorism could not be justified and warned against double standards in tackling the threat.
Previous high-level engagements
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Pakistan in October 2024 to attend the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting. He was the first Indian foreign minister to visit Pakistan in nine years.
Pakistan last attended an SCO foreign ministers’ meeting in Goa in May 2023.
The upcoming dialogue in Delhi will bring SCO members together for a multilateral cultural initiative, even as India continues to maintain a firm stance against terrorism.