India Sends SCO Summit Invitation for Regional Cooperation

India has invited all SCO members to attend the Goa summit of foreign ministers scheduled for May 4-5, 2023. India is the SCO’s current president, which is why this summit is taking place. Arindam Bagchi, the official spokeswoman for the Ministry of External Affairs, revealed that Pakistan and China had received formal invites from India.

India, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Afghanistan have recently joined the SCO’s nine members. The group was founded in 2001 and focused on fostering cooperation between its member nations on politics, economy, and security. India assumed the SCO chairmanship in September 2022, and this year it will host both the summit and important ministerial gatherings.

Despite the tense ties between the two nations, India’s invitation to Pakistan is major milestone. Due to problems with cross-border terrorism from Pakistan and the reinstatement of Article 370 for the erstwhile Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, relations between India and Pakistan have been tense for a long time. Despite these difficulties, India has invited in the spirit of regional cooperation and is anticipating a favourable response from each member, including Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto and China’s new Foreign Minister Qin Gang have received invitations. However, it has not yet been determined whether Bilawal will show up. According to the reports, there hasn’t been any confirmation from the Pakistani side yet.

The SCO member nations can get together in Goa and debate significant regional and international concerns. India, the SCO’s current chairman, wants to highlight its technological and economic might while leading the G20. India also hopes to improve the organization’s role in fostering regional cooperation and development by using its leadership.

India’s invitation to all SCO members, including Pakistan, is a move in the right direction for regional cooperation and stability. The Goa conference of foreign ministers offers a chance for the member nations to interact, debate crucial problems of regional and global importance, and advance regional peace, stability, and development. India may use the summit to highlight its technological and economic achievements and to promote its position as a vibrant and responsible leader in the region.