India to host the first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum in Delhi

India is set to host the first 'Civilisational Dialogue Forum' of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Delhi from 20 to 22 November. According to a report by 'The Hindu', an invitation has also been extended by India to Pakistan's Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, to participate in this event. If he comes to India, he will be the first Pakistani minister to visit India since 2023. Pakistan has not yet decided who will lead its delegation at this dialogue forum.

The event will be jointly organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of External Affairs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event. The objective of this multilateral initiative is to strengthen cultural ties and mutual understanding among member countries. Cultural ministers of 10 member countries including China, Russia, Iran, Belarus, and Central Asian countries, as well as 15 dialogue partners and observer countries, have also been invited to this forum.

The event will be held at Delhi's historic Purana Qila. According to officials, this fort, built in the 16th century by Emperor Humayu, has been chosen due to its significance associated with its ancient past. Purana Qila is the site of several excavations that showcase India's ancient history dating back nearly 3,000 years, including the pre-Mauryan, Mauryan, Sunga, Kushan, Gupta, post-Gupta periods, as well as the medieval Rajput, Sultanate, and Mughal eras.

Prime Minister Modi had proposed this dialogue at the SCO leaders' summit in Tianjin last year, which was later approved by the SCO Council. Four main themes will be discussed under this event: 'Monastic Trails' covering religion and philosophical traditions, art and architecture, language, literature, script and manuscript traditions, and cultural expression and living traditions across all countries.

This invitation is considered significant amidst recent tense relations with Pakistan. According to a report by 'Huston Times', this invitation comes nearly 18 months after 'Operation Sindoor'. Operation Sindoor was a four-day military conflict triggered by the Pahalgam terrorist attack, in which Indian forces bombed nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and PoK, killing at least 100 terrorists. This conflict took place from 7 May to 10 May.

Officials have clarified that this invitation given to Pakistan is a multilateral initiative and has nothing to do with bilateral relations with Pakistan. This development should be seen in a broader context. Earlier, in the month of September, India's SCO National Coordinator Alok Dimri was sent to Islamabad, who was leading the Indian team for the first coordination meeting for Pakistan's SCO presidency and preparations for upcoming meetings.

India has refused to participate in SAARC meetings in Islamabad since 2016 due to differences with Pakistan, but has participated in SCO meetings in the past. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated at the 25th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, that India will host the first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum later this year. Emphasising the need for a collective and uncompromising approach to fight terrorism, he said that the entire ecosystem supporting terrorism must be dismantled.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a regional international organisation founded in 2001 jointly by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. India became its full member in 2017 and Pakistan also joined in 2017. Iran also became a member in 2023. Currently, Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are member countries. Pakistan currently holds the SCO presidency for 2026-27.

Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (West) Sibi George stated that India treats the SCO as an important organisation. Regarding engagement with individual countries, a decision will be taken by the appropriate authority at the appropriate time.