New Delhi: India is participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of National Coordinators meeting in Islamabad from September 28 to 30, with National Coordinator Alok Dimri leading the Indian delegation.
The three-day meeting marks the first major engagement under Pakistan’s 2026-27 chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State. Pakistan formally assumed the chairmanship following the SCO summit in Bishkek, and is scheduled to host the next Council of Heads of State summit in Islamabad in August 2027.
Programme Under Pakistan's Chairmanship
The meeting is chaired by Pakistan’s SCO National Coordinator and is being attended by coordinators from other member states as well as representatives of the SCO Secretariat.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, discussions include the programme of activities planned under its chairmanship, preparations for upcoming SCO meetings and events, and issues related to cooperation and coordination within the organisation.
Pakistan has adopted “Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity” as the theme for its 2026-27 chairmanship. Its stated priorities include strengthening regional connectivity, promoting innovation and economic cooperation, and expanding people-to-people contacts.
Focus On 2027 SCO Summit
The Islamabad meeting will also contribute to preparations for the SCO Council of Heads of State summit scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan in August 2027.
The Times of India reported that Pakistan is expected to extend invitations to the leaders of all SCO member states, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for the summit. India’s level of representation at the 2027 meeting will be decided separately.
India-Pakistan Engagement Through SCO
India’s participation comes amid continuing strains in bilateral relations with Pakistan. However, both countries remain participants in the SCO’s multilateral mechanisms.
India became a full member of the SCO in 2017. The organisation also includes China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Belarus and Pakistan.
The current meeting is focused on the SCO’s institutional calendar and cooperation under Pakistan’s chairmanship, rather than bilateral India-Pakistan talks. The discussions are expected to lay the groundwork for the series of ministerial and high-level engagements leading up to the 2027 leaders’ summit.
