- India invites Pakistan to SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum.
- New Delhi to host event November 20-22 after Sindoor.
- PM Modi to inaugurate forum for cultural understanding.
18 months after Operation Sindoor, India has sent a formal invitation to Pakistan for the inaugural Civilisational Dialogue Forum, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from November 20 to 22. The invitation has also been extended to 9 other Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) members.
Earlier on October 20, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced that India will host the first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum by the end of this year. Speaking at the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Tajikistan's Dushanbe, Singh had emphasised that the initiative is aimed at strengthening cultural ties and mutual understanding.
New Delhi has invited Pakistan's Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, to attend the forum. However, Pakistan is yet to confirm who will represent the country at the gathering to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Recommended For You
Representatives from over 25 countries will participate in the event at Purana Quila, the historic 16th-century fort in Delhi.
The initiative was proposed by PM Modi at the SCO leaders' Summit in Tianjin last year. After Operation Sindoor, the first Indian high-level visit to Pakistan took place on October 24 when Minister of External Affairs, Dr S Jaishankar, visited Islamabad for the SCO Council Heads of Government meeting. The visit also marked the first by any foreign minister in nine years.
In a recent SCO interaction in Tajikistan, the Defence Minister had called for joint action to dismantle terrorism, warning against double standards on the issue. The statement was seen as a warning to Pakistan. While Rajnath made the remarks, Pakistani Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was present at the 25th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government.
“Terrorism not only causes the loss of innocent lives but also disrupts investment and commerce. It radicalises society and deprives our youth of the opportunities they deserve,” he said.