SCO Summit 2024: Jaishankar to lead India’s charge, talks to focus on trade and economy

The 23rd Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) is scheduled for Wednesday, October 16, 2024, in Islamabad, Pakistan.

This crucial gathering will concentrate on the bloc’s trade and economic agenda, in what is being seen as an important moment for regional cooperation.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), “The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the organization.”


External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will head the Indian delegation at the summit.

While Jaishankar's visit to Islamabad has sparked speculation regarding India-Pakistan relations, he clarified that his primary purpose is to engage in discussions related to the SCO.

"I am traveling to Pakistan solely as a good member of the SCO," he stated, reiterating the multilateral nature of the event.

The meeting will be chaired by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Notable leaders from other SCO member states will also be in attendance, including:

• Li Qiang, China's Premier
• Russia's Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin
• Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko of Belarus
• Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov of Kazakhstan
• Prime Minister Akylbek Zhaparov of Kyrgyzstan
• Prime Minister Akylbek Zhaparov of Tajikistan
• Prime Minister Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov of Uzbekistan
• First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber of Iran

Special guests will include foreign ministers and the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Turkmenistan, along with the Prime Minister of Mongolia, Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, participating as an observer.

About the SCO

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, founded on June 15, 2001, in Shanghai, China, aims to bolster mutual trust among member states, promote cooperation in trade, economics, science, and technology, and jointly uphold peace, security, and stability in the region.

Key members include India, Iran, China, Pakistan, and Russia, along with significant dialogue partners such as Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar, the Maldives, Myanmar, the UAE, and Sri Lanka.

As the summit approaches, the focus on trade and economic cooperation highlights the SCO's vital role in fostering regional collaboration amidst complex geopolitical dynamics.

(With agency inputs)