EAM Jaishankar in Islamabad for SCO meeting

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday - the first such visit in nearly a decade - as the 23rd head of government meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) commenced in Islamabad with an informal meeting.

The SCO plenary meeting will be held on Wednesday and Jaishankar will depart for India after the official lunch. "The 23rd Meeting of SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) will be held on October 16 in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Pakistan.

The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the Organisation. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will represent India at the meeting.


India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework," according to the MEA.

Jaishankar will utilise Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad to pitch for India's leadership role of Global South eyeing to shore up strategic partnership with Central Asian states, four of whom are members of the organisation. While China has offered certain socio-economic initiatives as part of its SCO outreach, India is ready to extend its expertise to SCO states across a slew of sectors, including digital public infrastructure, Fintech, startups and healthcare, ET had reported earlier.