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The Indian delegation, led by Joint Secretary Alok Dimri from India's Ministry of External Affairs, has arrived in Pakistan for the first time since the two nations' brief conflict last year. The delegation is participating in a three-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of National Coordinators in Islamabad, which began on Monday and will continue until September 30.

Dimri, who is national coordinator for the SCO, is described by Indian media as the first official of his seniority to visit Pakistan in about a year and a half. The visit is significant as the discussions are taking place under the SCO's multilateral framework rather than for bilateral talks. India, along with Pakistan, is a full member of the SCO since 2017, despite ongoing tensions between the two countries.

The SCO, established in 2001, is a Eurasian organization focused on political, security, economic, and regional cooperation. Its members include China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus. The organization aims to enhance regional security, counter-terrorism, trade, investment, transport, energy, and wider economic cooperation.

The current meeting is particularly noteworthy as it marks the first Council of National Coordinators gathering under Pakistan's chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026-27. The discussions will help set the organization's program for the year and prepare for future ministerial and high-level meetings. The theme of Pakistan's chairmanship is "Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity," with a focus on promoting regional connectivity, innovation, and economic cooperation.