SCO summit may bring Pakistan, India defence ministers face-to-face

Qingdao – For the first time since last month’s brief yet tense military standoff, the defence ministers of Pakistan and India are attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Summit in Qingdao, China, raising the possibility of informal contact between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Defence, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, and India’s Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, are participating in the two-day high-level conclave hosted by China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun in the eastern province of Shandong. Although no formal bilateral meeting has been scheduled, diplomatic sources suggest that the shared platform may open avenues for backchannel engagement or an informal exchange on the sidelines.

The summit comes in the aftermath of Marka-e-Haq, the recent military escalation between Pakistan and India, which further strained an already fragile relationship. This is the first instance since that flare-up that senior defence representatives from both sides are present at the same multilateral forum.

On the summit’s opening day, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun held separate bilateral meetings with all participating ministers, including Khawaja Asif. In these discussions, China stressed the importance of international fairness, strategic stability, and reinforced regional cooperation in the face of emerging transnational threats.

Chinese officials reiterated calls for SCO member states to resist foreign interference and enhance collective security mechanisms to address growing regional challenges, particularly terrorism and cyber threats.

The defence ministers’ summit follows a recent SCO National Security Advisers (NSA) meeting, where Pakistan’s NSA reaffirmed the country’s commitment to regional peace and stability, describing Pakistan as a “net security stabiliser.” The NSA also held talks with Chinese officials and other SCO delegates on expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation in counter-terrorism and strategic security.

At the NSA meeting, China’s Minister for Public Security Wang Xiaohong unveiled a five-point proposal urging member states to adopt “true multilateralism,” increase counter-terrorism cooperation, combat transnational crimes, and oppose external interference in regional affairs.

The ongoing summit is focusing on pivotal security issues affecting the region — including terrorism, military collaboration, and geopolitical equilibrium. Although Indian and Pakistani officials have avoided public remarks regarding any bilateral interaction, analysts believe that the joint presence of Asif and Singh holds symbolic significance and could lay the groundwork for cautious diplomatic engagement.

The last high-level defence contact between Pakistan and India occurred in 2018 during a previous SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting in Russia. With direct dialogue currently stalled, multilateral forums like the SCO continue to serve as critical platforms for indirect engagement and confidence-building.

Read more: No Asif–Rajnath Meeting at SCO, Confirms Foreign Office Amid Media Buzz

Observers note that even a brief informal interaction between the two defence ministers could send a positive signal, potentially paving the way for broader talks in the future.