ISLAMABAD: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to skip the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Summit scheduled for 31st August, 2025 in Tianjin, China, according to sources.
India External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation instead of premier Modi.
The three-day important 25th meeting of SCO Head of States is planned for 31 August, September 1 and 2.
Sources disclosed that Narendra Modi’s decision to stay away from the important Summit comes amidst rumours that Indian premier may avoid a possible face-off with Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif and other regional leaders during the high-level multilateral meeting.
It is worth mentioning here that the two nuclear-armed rivals had locked horns since four-day military conflict in May following April 22nd Pahalgam terrorist attack on tourists in Indian Occupied Kashmir.
Being chairman, China will preside over the 25th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State. The theme of this year’s meeting will be, “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move.” The annual event is likely to focus on key discussions on regional security, economic cooperation, trade and the SCO’s long-term strategic direction and way forward.
Among prominent leaders of the bloc who had been invited to attend the SCO Summit include: President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of China Xi Jinping (Host), President of Iran Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz Republic President Sadyr Japarov, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, Uzbek Head of State Shavkat Mirziyoyev and India’s EAM S Jaishankar.
The Summit marks a significant milestone for the organisation, commemorating its 25th session since its establishment.
China has also invited Interim Afghan Government in Kabul to attend the SCO upcoming Summit. The invitation has been extended by Chinese Ambassador in Kabul. Afghanistan has been an inactive of the organization since September 2021. It is to mention that Afghanistan became an observer member of the SCO on June 7, 2012, but has not actively contributed in the organisation’s activities since joining.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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