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Pakistan was handed over the next chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Bishkek on Tuesday. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who is delighted to assume the responsibility, announced that Pakistan will assume its presidency under the theme “Transforming the Vision: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity”. It is also certain that about 30 meetings (including officials, ministers and heads of state) will be held in Pakistan under the auspices of the SCO in the next one year.

Will PM Modi visit Islamabad?

So the question is whether Indian officials will participate in these meetings. Will Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit Pakistan to attend the summit to be held from July to September 2027 as usual? The true answer to this question will be known later, but considering the current climate of relations between the two countries, this possibility seems very unlikely. However, in the year 2024, a meeting of SCO Foreign Ministers was held in Pakistan in which External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited there to participate.

India assumed the SCO chairmanship in 2023

India assumed the SCO chairmanship in 2023. Relations between the two countries were strained at that time. However, the then Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Bilawal Bhutto, went to India (Goa) to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting. Later, the summit was held online, in which the Prime Minister of Pakistan was also participating.

PM Modi has physically attended every summit since 2015

PM Modi has physically attended every summit held since 2015, except the Astana Summit (2024). The events in 2020, 2021 and 2023 were held virtually. PM Modi and Pakistan PM Shahbaz Sharif shared the stage at the Tianjin (China) Summit in 2025 and the Samarkand Summit in 2022, but there were no formal or informal talks between them. In 2015, PM Modi met the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif separately at the SCO Summit in Ufa. A meeting was then held between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries and the NSA.

SAARC organization suspended

It should be noted that PM Modi paid a surprise visit to Pakistan on December 25, 2015. Subsequently, his visit to Islamabad for the SAARC Summit in 2016 was discussed. However, India and other members refused to attend the summit in view of terrorist attacks. Since then, the SAARC organization has been suspended.

New efforts to establish peace

New efforts were made to establish peace but after the Pathankot attack, India significantly changed its stance on the issue of terrorism. Pakistan’s policy of supporting cross-border terrorists has strained relations. The heads of government of the two countries do not even shake hands at forums like the SCO.

Preparing to organize SCO

Diplomatic sources suggest that the Pakistan government is gearing up to host the SCO with much fanfare. After improving relations with the United States and recently signing the Mecca Defense Treaty with Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the Pakistani government believes that a successful SCO program will strengthen its position on the global stage.