The External Affairs Minister is currently in Islamabad to engage in the 23rd Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG), which commenced on Tuesday evening with a welcome dinner organized by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan. During his remarks on Wednesday, S. Jaishankar delivered a pointed message to Pakistan, indicating that fruitful collaboration in sectors such as trade, energy, and connectivity is improbable if cross-border activities are marred by terrorism, extremism, and separatist movements.
In his speech at the SCO conclave, Jaishankar emphasized that any form of cooperation must be grounded in principles of mutual respect and sovereign equality, while also acknowledging the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all nations involved. He is leading the Indian delegation at the SCO Council of Heads of Government summit in Islamabad, which is being presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.