Indian delegation remains ‘centre of attention’ during SCO summit

As international leaders gathered in Islamabad for the SCO summit, all eyes were on India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who became the focal point of attention.

From his arrival and brief handshake with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to a casual walk around the Indian High Commission, Jaishankar’s presence overshadowed other guests at the summit.

Known for his direct and often sharp diplomatic style, Jaishankar subtly referenced Pakistan during his remarks at the SCO, in line with his usual approach.

At a lunch gathering on Wednesday, Jaishankar and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar exchanged a few words.

Before leaving Islamabad, Jaishankar expressed gratitude to PM Shehbaz and FM Dar for their hospitality in a tweet, though the gesture appeared more symbolic than heartfelt. He was accompanied by several Indian journalists, many of whom were visiting Pakistan for the first time.

Although the summit itself took place at the Convention Centre, Indian and Pakistani journalists were hosted at a media centre in the Pak-China Friendship Centre. Indian reporters shared their experience stating the atmosphere of this summit felt more positive than the previous one held in Goa.

Shubhajit Roy from “The Indian Express”, who had visited Pakistan multiple times, noted that this visit had a more upbeat tone. He said Jaishankar has a composed aura and is always ready for any diplomatic situation, however this time Pakistan did not give any reason to react.

Making a comparison between this summit and previous ones, Umashankar Singh from NDTV commented that bilateral disputes often overshadowed the official agenda.

Indian journalists, while keen to explore Islamabad’s markets, found most shops closed due to heightened security. Nevertheless, they made the most of their time at the media centre, where they engaged with Pakistani reporters, took photos, exchanged contact details, and interviewed visiting officials.