An Indian delegation has reached Islamabad to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Council of National Coordinators meeting, bringing Indian officials to Pakistan for a multilateral engagement as Islamabad begins its 2026–27 chairmanship of the organisation.
The three-day meeting is being held from September 28 to 30, 2026, and is the first meeting of the SCO Council of National Coordinators under Pakistan’s current chairmanship. India’s delegation is led by Alok Amitabh Dimri, India’s SCO National Coordinator and a senior official in the Ministry of External Affairs.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: India joins the SCO National Coordinators meeting in Islamabad.
Location: Islamabad, Pakistan.
Authority/Organisation: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
Action Taken: India has sent a delegation led by its SCO National Coordinator for the September 28–30 meeting.
Impact: The meeting will help establish the SCO programme and prepare for major engagements during Pakistan’s 2026–27 chairmanship.
The meeting is focused on the SCO’s programme of activities under Pakistan’s chairmanship, preparations for upcoming meetings and events, and broader coordination among member states.
Pakistan took over the SCO Council of Heads of State chairmanship from Kyrgyzstan on September 1. Its stated priorities include connectivity, innovation, economic cooperation and people-to-people contacts.
The current development is significant because India and Pakistan continue to have difficult bilateral relations, yet both remain participants in the SCO framework. India’s presence in Islamabad is therefore taking place through a multilateral institutional mechanism, rather than through an announced bilateral India-Pakistan dialogue.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The development highlights the difference between bilateral India-Pakistan relations and their participation in wider multilateral organisations. Despite continuing differences between New Delhi and Islamabad, both countries remain members of the SCO and continue participating in its institutional meetings. For India, participation allows New Delhi to remain engaged with a wider Eurasian grouping that includes China, Russia, Iran and Central Asian states while keeping the engagement within the SCO framework. For Pakistan, the meeting is an early opportunity to establish priorities for its year-long chairmanship and begin preparations for the 2027 leaders’ summit.
