Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar to attend SCO summit in Pakistan

India's foreign ministry confirmed that Jaishankar will be in Islamabad to represent India at the summit.

S Jaishankar attends the Quad ministerial meeting on July 29, 2024 in Tokyo. (Photo: Getty Images)
S Jaishankar attends the Quad ministerial meeting on July 29, 2024 in Tokyo. (Photo: Getty Images)

INDIA's foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, will travel to Pakistan on Tuesday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. This marks the first visit by India's top diplomat to Pakistan in nearly ten years.

India's foreign ministry confirmed that Jaishankar will be in Islamabad to represent India at the summit. Both India and Pakistan have indicated that there are no plans for bilateral talks, and Jaishankar's visit will adhere strictly to the SCO schedule.


India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed nations, have had a fraught relationship, having fought several wars since their independence and partition in 1947.

The SCO, a regional grouping that includes China, India, Russia, and Pakistan, among others, is often seen as a counterbalance to Western alliances such as NATO.

"India remains actively engaged in the SCO format," the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement.

The summit in Islamabad will focus on issues related to trade, humanitarian efforts, and cultural exchanges, though the SCO is primarily known for discussing security matters.

The last visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan took place in 2015, when Sushma Swaraj attended a conference on Afghanistan. That same year, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Lahore to meet then-Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif, briefly raising hopes of improved relations.

However, in 2019, relations between the two countries deteriorated significantly after India's government revoked the limited autonomy of Indian-administered Kashmir, leading Pakistan to suspend trade and downgrade diplomatic ties with New Delhi.

In 2023, Pakistan’s former foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, attended an SCO meeting in India’s Goa, where he and Jaishankar had a verbal exchange. No one-on-one meeting was held between them.

(With inputs from AFP)

More For You

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions
Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions

THE Sri Lanka government on Wednesday (2) formed a committee to recommend measures regarding the UK's decision to impose sanctions on three former military commanders who led the campaign that crushed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

Health minister Nalinda Jayatissa told reporters that foreign minister Vijitha Herath, justice minister Harshana Nanayakkara and deputy minister of defence Aruna Jayasekara would comprise the committee that would consult experts for the purpose.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gujarat-blast-ANI

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed. (Photo: ANI)

ANI

Death toll rises to 21 in Gujarat firework factory explosion

AN EXPLOSION at an illegal firecracker factory in Gujarat's Deesa town killed 21 people and injured several others on Tuesday, officials said.

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

Child benefit, normally paid every four weeks directly into bank accounts, has undergone significant changes in recent months (Photo: Getty Images)

Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

MILLIONS of British families are set to receive a financial boost as child benefit payments increase from April 7, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

From next week, parents will receive £26.05 per week for the eldest or only child, amounting to £1,354.60 annually - up from the current rate of £25.60. For each additional child, payments will rise to £17.25 weekly, totalling £897 per year - an increase from the present £16.95 rate. This represents a 1.7 per cent increase across all payment categories.

Keep ReadingShow less
Anant Ambani Walks 140 Km in Spiritual Tribute on 30th Birthday

Anant’s padyatra is a reflection of the larger cultural fabric of India

Getty

Anant Ambani embarks on a 140-kilometer spiritual journey on foot to celebrate 30th birthday

Anant Ambani, a director of Reliance Industries Limited and a prominent figure in Indian industry, has chosen a unique and spiritual way to mark his 30th birthday. As part of his celebrations, he is currently undertaking a padyatra—a traditional pilgrimage on foot—from Jamnagar to Dwarka, covering a distance of approximately 140 kilometres. The journey reflects his devotion to Lord Dwarkadhish, the presiding deity of the Dwarkadhish Temple in the city of Dwarka.

Anant began his journey from his family’s residence in Moti Khavdi, Jamnagar, and has been progressing steadily for the past five days. Walking an estimated 10-12 kilometres each night, he travels under the protection of Z+ security and local police, ensuring his safety during this significant journey. The padyatra is expected to take between seven to nine days in total, with plans to conclude at the Dwarkadhish Temple in time for his birthday on April 10.

Keep ReadingShow less
New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

Government urged experts to come forward to help draw up a new five-year TB action plan. (Photo: Getty Images)

New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

BRITAIN on Wednesday (2) urged health experts and sufferers of tuberculosis (TB) to come forward to help draw up a new five-year action plan as it deals with record rises in the disease.

In 2023, England recorded its largest annual increase (11 per cent) in cases since enhanced surveillance began in 2000.

Keep ReadingShow less