- Pakistan minister will attend SCO Civilisational Dialogue in Delhi.
- This marks a rare high-level visit between the nations.
- India invited all SCO members for the cultural exchange.
- Pakistan recently assumed SCO Council of Heads chairmanship.
Pakistan will participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Civilisational Dialogue Forum, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from November 20 to 22. Islamabad has nominated its Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Musadik Masood Malik, to represent the country at the multilateral event.
According to an official statement issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government has nominated Malik to attend the forum in the Indian capital.
“The Government of Pakistan has nominated Dr. Musadik Masood Malik, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, to represent Pakistan at the SCO Civilisational Dialogue to be held in New Delhi from 20 to 22 November 2026,” the statement said.
The ministry said the dialogue would bring together representatives from SCO member states to exchange views on cultural understanding and civilisational engagement. It added that Pakistan remained committed to “promoting dialogue among civilisations and fostering people-to-people contacts within the SCO framework in a spirit of mutual respect.”
High-level ministerial visits between India and Pakistan remain rare, making Malik’s proposed visit to New Delhi a notable diplomatic development under the SCO framework.
India Invites All 10 SCO Member States, Including Pakistan
Pakistan’s announcement comes a day after India confirmed that it had invited several countries, including all 10 SCO member states, to the Civilisational Dialogue Forum in New Delhi.
Responding to a question from ANI during a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said preparations were underway for the event and that India looked forward to hosting the participating delegations.
“Several countries, including the SCO members, have been invited to this dialogue, which is to take place in New Delhi, and that is where it is. We look forward to hosting this Civilizational Dialogue,” Jaiswal said.
The inaugural edition of the forum, an initiative proposed by India to promote cultural exchange and people-to-people ties across Eurasia, is scheduled to take place later this month. Apart from full members, India has also invited SCO dialogue partners and observer countries.
Rajnath Singh Announced India’s Plan To Host Forum In October
On October 20, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced that India would host the first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum and invite all member countries to participate in the initiative aimed at strengthening cultural ties and mutual understanding.
Addressing the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Singh highlighted India’s longstanding friendship with Tajikistan and its close relations with Central Asian countries.
Referring to the SCO’s 25-year journey, Singh said leaders had reviewed the organisation’s achievements and discussed its future during the SCO Summit in Bishkek.
“India gives great importance to our long-standing friendship with Tajikistan and our bond with Central Asian countries. During the SCO Summit in Bishkek, our leaders had outlined the 25 years of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. That occasion was about reviewing our shared journey as well as deliberating on the path to the future,” he said.
Singh also recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for concrete steps to strengthen security, connectivity and opportunities across the SCO region, saying the message remained relevant for the Council of Heads of Government. Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar was also present at the meeting.
Pakistan Assumes SCO Chairmanship For 2026-27
The developments come after Pakistan formally assumed the rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for the 2026-2027 term on September 1, 2026. It took over the chairmanship from Kyrgyzstan following the SCO summit in Bishkek.
The SCO currently has 10 member states: Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India became a full member of the organisation in 2017.
The grouping also includes Afghanistan and Mongolia as observer states, along with 15 dialogue partners.
