Pakistan Minister Musadik Malik Likely to Visit India from November 20-22 for SCO Civilizational Dialogue

Pakistan’s Climate Minister Musadik Masood Malik is likely to visit India between November 20 and 22 to participate in the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Civilizational Dialogue in New Delhi. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that Malik had been nominated to represent the country at the international event.

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If the visit takes place as scheduled, it would mark a significant diplomatic development, as it would be the first visit by a Pakistani minister to India in more than three years. The proposed visit comes at a time when relations between the two neighbouring countries remain strained following a series of security and diplomatic developments.

Announcing Malik’s nomination, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Islamabad remained committed to promoting dialogue among civilisations and strengthening people-to-people connections under the SCO framework.

Pakistan also emphasised the importance of mutual respect and cultural engagement, indicating its willingness to participate in initiatives aimed at encouraging dialogue among member countries.

India Invites All SCO Member Nations to the Dialogue

The SCO Civilizational Dialogue is scheduled to take place in New Delhi from November 20 to 22. India has extended invitations to all 10 member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, including Pakistan.

The inaugural session of the forum is an Indian initiative designed to encourage cultural exchanges, promote mutual understanding and strengthen people-to-people relationships across the Eurasian region.

Apart from full-fledged SCO members, India has also invited observer countries and dialogue partners to participate in the event.

On Friday, India confirmed that invitations had been sent to several countries for the upcoming programme. Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat expressed optimism about Pakistan’s participation.

Speaking about Pakistan’s cultural and historical connections with India, Shekhawat said the two countries shared a common civilisational background.

He noted that Pakistan’s cultural and civilisational development was closely connected with India’s history, pointing out that the two countries had been separated for less than eight decades.

His remarks highlighted India’s position that cultural engagement and dialogue could provide opportunities for greater understanding despite political differences.

MEA Confirms Preparations for the New Delhi Event

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also confirmed that preparations are underway to host the SCO Civilizational Dialogue in the national capital.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said several countries, including all SCO member states, had been invited to participate in the forum.

He expressed India’s readiness to welcome participating nations to New Delhi for the event.

The dialogue is expected to provide a platform for representatives of participating countries to discuss shared cultural traditions, civilisational connections and opportunities for cooperation.

Pakistan’s decision to nominate a minister for the event is particularly noteworthy because of the current state of bilateral relations.

India-Pakistan Relations Have Remained Tense Since Pahalgam Attack

Relations between India and Pakistan deteriorated sharply following the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam in April 2025, in which 26 civilians were killed.

India responded to the attack by launching Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied territory.

The military escalation triggered a serious confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. The situation eventually de-escalated following a ceasefire understanding on May 9, 2025.

Since then, diplomatic engagement between the two countries has remained limited, with bilateral relations continuing to face significant challenges.

Against this backdrop, Malik’s proposed participation in the SCO dialogue could carry diplomatic significance, even though the visit is primarily connected to a multilateral cultural initiative.

Will the Visit Open a New Chapter in Bilateral Engagement?

Although the proposed visit does not necessarily indicate a change in India’s broader policy towards Pakistan, it could provide an opportunity for limited diplomatic interaction within the SCO framework.

The participation of a Pakistani minister in an event hosted by India would also underline the role of multilateral organisations in maintaining channels of communication between countries facing bilateral tensions.

The SCO Civilizational Dialogue is intended to strengthen cultural cooperation and people-to-people contacts across Eurasia. Pakistan’s nomination of Malik suggests that Islamabad is prepared to engage with the initiative.

However, whether the visit will lead to any broader improvement in India-Pakistan relations remains uncertain.

For now, the focus remains on the November 20-22 meeting in New Delhi and the participation of SCO member countries in India’s civilisational dialogue initiative.