Indian Foreign Minister Promises to ‘Behave Himself’ on Rare Pakistan Visit
S Jaishankar, the Indian foreign minister, has made a significant announcement ahead of his upcoming visit to Pakistan. This visit will mark the first time in almost a decade that a top Indian official has travelled to the rival country.
The visit is scheduled for 15-16 October in Islamabad, where Mr Jaishankar will attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a transregional grouping led by China. This trip is especially noteworthy as it comes amidst longstanding tensions between India and Pakistan since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.
Despite intermittent periods of peace, the relationship between the two countries has deteriorated over the years, with multiple wars and frequent suspensions of trade and cultural exchanges. The most recent escalation occurred in 2019 when India conducted cross-border airstrikes in response to a car bombing in the disputed region of Kashmir.
Mr Jaishankar clarified that his agenda for the Pakistan visit is not to address bilateral issues but to participate in a multilateral event as a member of the SCO. He emphasised, “I’m not going there to discuss India-Pakistan relations. I’m going there to be a good member of the SCO. But, you know, since I’m a courteous and civil person, I will behave myself accordingly.”
Although the minister downplayed the possibility of bilateral discussions, the presence of Indian and Pakistani officials at the same event is expected to attract attention. Observers view this as an opportunity for cautious optimism, as multilateral platforms often facilitate behind-the-scenes engagements even in the absence of formal dialogue.
Michael Kugelman, a senior programme associate at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre, highlighted the significance of the visit in the context of recent developments in India-Pakistan relations. He noted the relative stability in ties following a new Line of Control (LoC) truce in 2021 despite ongoing tensions.
The last Indian foreign minister to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj in 2015. Her attendance at the Heart of Asia Conference was followed by a surprise stopover by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lahore. Similarly, Pakistan’s then foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India for an SCO ministerial meeting in 2023.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, founded in 2001, focuses on regional security, counterterrorism, and economic cooperation. The upcoming summit is expected to address key issues affecting member states in Eurasia.
This visit by Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar signifies a unique moment in regional diplomacy and hints at a potential thaw in India-Pakistan relations, offering hope for peaceful engagement and cooperation in the future.