India Invites Pakistan to Delhi SCO Forum for First Time Since Op Sindoor
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
India has invited all 10 member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), including Pakistan, to attend the first Civilisational Dialogue Forum in New Delhi from November 20 to 22. Pakistan’s Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, has also been invited to the event. The forum aims to improve cultural relations, promote mutual understanding and strengthen people-to-people ties among member countries. However, Pakistan has not yet confirmed its participation.
Forum to Focus on Culture and Shared Heritage
The three-day event will bring together representatives from SCO member countries and other invited nations. More than 25 countries are expected to participate. The forum will focus on shared history, art, literature, traditions and cultural heritage. It will also discuss ways to improve cooperation in education and traditional knowledge. The Ministry of Culture is reportedly organising the event with support from the Ministry of External Affairs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the forum at Purana Qila, a historic fort in Delhi.
The idea for the Civilisational Dialogue Forum was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the SCO summit in Tianjin, China, in September 2025. The initiative was later accepted by the organisation. India aims to use the forum as a platform where member countries can discuss their common cultural links and build stronger relationships through dialogue and cooperation.
Invitation Comes Amid Tensions Between India and Pakistan
India’s invitation to Pakistan is important because relations between the two countries remain tense. The invitation is the first of its kind to a senior Pakistani minister since the military conflict between the two countries in May 2025, following the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s Operation Sindoor. The last Pakistani foreign minister to visit India was Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who reportedly attended an SCO meeting in Goa in May 2023. Pakistan’s participation in the upcoming forum is still uncertain.
Despite tensions, India and Pakistan continue to take part in meetings organised under the SCO framework. In October 2024, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reportedly visited Islamabad to attend an SCO meeting. More recently, India’s SCO national coordinator, Alok Dimri, visited Pakistan in September 2026 for discussions related to the organisation’s work and future meetings.
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced on October 20 that India would host the first Civilisational Dialogue Forum. During an SCO meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, he also called for countries to work together against terrorism. Singh said there should be no double standards in dealing with terrorism and urged member countries to take action against those who finance or support terrorist activities. Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar was present at the meeting.
The SCO has 10 member countries: India, Pakistan, China, Russia, Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Pakistan currently holds the organisation’s rotating chairmanship for the 2026–27 term and is expected to host the next SCO leaders’ summit in Islamabad in 2027. The upcoming forum in Delhi will give member countries an opportunity to discuss culture and shared history. Whether Pakistan’s minister attends or not, the event is expected to be an important platform for cultural exchange and dialogue among SCO members.
