close
Tuesday December 03, 2024

Indian minister unlikely to travel to Islamabad to attend SCO meeting

It’s not clear whether India will attend all SCO meetings virtually or whether some would be attended in person

By Mariana Baabar
September 11, 2024
Indias Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal takes part at the panel discussion Trade: Now what? during the World Economic Forum 2022 (WEF) in the Alpine resort of Davos, Switzerland May 25, 2022. — Reuters
India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal takes part at the panel discussion "Trade: Now what?" during the World Economic Forum 2022 (WEF) in the Alpine resort of Davos, Switzerland May 25, 2022. — Reuters

ISLAMABAD: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Trade Ministers meeting on Thursday will see India’s participation but the minister will not be travelling to Islamabad, rather attending it virtually, according to sources. Also, the Foreign Office here is not commenting so far on any invitations that have been accepted for the forthcoming Council of Heads Meeting to be held here next month.

The spokeswoman, when asked whether she could confirm reports about the Chinese prime minister attending next month, said presently she would not comment but would later.

It’s not clear whether India will attend all SCO meetings virtually or whether some would be attended in person. Attending SCO meetings virtually is not new and even last year Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had attended the SCO summit virtually as India had decided to step back from in-person summit.