India’s SCO Coordinator Stresses Regional Connectivity, Trade and Transit at Islamabad Meet
Alok A Dimri says member states are advancing cooperation while preparing for upcoming SCO programmes and the 2027 summit in Pakistan.
India, Sep 30 : India’s SCO National Coordinator Alok A Dimri has highlighted regional connectivity, trade and transit as key areas of discussion among members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), during a meeting in Islamabad.
Speaking to PTV News on the sidelines of the three day SCO national coordinators’ meeting, Dimri said member countries were working through the regional grouping to promote prosperity, welfare and cooperation.
“Connectivity is an important point. Regional connectivity, trade, transit… are important issues, which have been discussed and progress is also being made,” he said.
Dimri also said SCO members had agreed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposal for a civilisational dialogue, which is scheduled to take place in New Delhi on November 20.
The SCO is a Eurasian grouping that promotes cooperation in political, security, economic and cultural fields. Its 10 members are India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Belarus.
According to footage of the interview released by Pakistan’s Foreign Office, Dimri said the organisation brings together countries across Eurasia and the wider Asian region under a common framework.
He said the grouping had developed an agenda focused on the collective well-being, prosperity and welfare of its participating nations.
The national coordinators’ meeting is being conducted under Pakistan’s 2026-27 chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State. Discussions include the organisation’s programme of activities, preparations for forthcoming meetings and other issues on its agenda.
The gathering also forms part of preparations for the SCO Council of Heads of State summit, which Pakistan is scheduled to host in August 2027.
India’s participation marks the first high-level visit by an Indian delegation to Pakistan since the brief military conflict between the two countries last year.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had previously headed India’s delegation to the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad on October 15-16, 2024.
For Dimri, the Islamabad visit was his first trip to Pakistan. He said engagement between member countries would continue through SCO programmes held throughout the year.
Reflecting on his visit, Dimri said he had hoped to travel beyond Islamabad and visit cities including Lahore, Sialkot and Faisalabad. He noted that Lahore has been designated an SCO cultural city.
He said the various programmes would eventually lead up to the Islamabad summit and expressed hope that cooperation among participating countries would expand across multiple sectors.
Dimri further described the SCO as a regional platform bringing together countries from North, East and Central Asia. He said the organisation could provide its members with an avenue to present their languages, perspectives and ideas to the wider world.
