Diplomacy Over Division: Jaishankar's Strategic Visit to Pakistan

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is slated to visit Pakistan for the SCO summit, ruling out bilateral talks with Pakistan's Muhammad Ishaq Dar. The visit is significant, marking the first Indian ministerial visit to Pakistan in nine years amid tense relations over cross-border terrorism and Kashmir issues.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has clarified that his upcoming visit to Islamabad will strictly focus on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit and will not include bilateral discussions with Pakistan's Muhammad Ishaq Dar. His statement aims to set expectations for the visit, particularly given the tense India-Pakistan ties.

The visit, scheduled for October 15 and 16, represents a significant diplomatic step, being the first instance in nine years that an Indian External Affairs Minister will travel to Pakistan. S Jaishankar emphasized that while India seeks good relations with its neighbors, this cannot come at the cost of ignoring cross-border terrorism.

The meeting underscores India's commitment to the multilateral SCO platform, despite historical challenges in India-Pakistan relations, including the Kashmir issue and previous breaches of trust like the Balakot airstrike response to terrorism. The visit is also significant, coming after Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties following India's actions in Jammu and Kashmir.

(With inputs from agencies.)