India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar travels to Pakistan today to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit. This visit marks his first trip to Pakistan in nine years.
As India’s first high-level visit amid years of strained relations, Jaishankar’s arrival in Islamabad carries significant importance. Upon landing, he participates in an induction ceremony hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to welcome member countries. Additionally, he has scheduled a dinner with Prime Minister Sharif, highlighting the diplomatic engagement.
Jaishankar’s visit occurs during heightened tensions between the two neighboring countries. He recently stated, “Like any neighboring country, India would like to have good relations with Pakistan. However, this cannot be achieved by ignoring border terrorism.”
This visit is particularly noteworthy as it represents the first high-level engagement from India to Pakistan in nearly a decade. Jaishankar will stay in Pakistan for less than 24 hours. The last Indian Foreign Minister to visit was Sushma Swaraj, who attended a conference on Afghanistan in Islamabad in December 2015.