Pak minister Malik to attend SCO Dialogue in Delhi

(SCO) Civilisational Dialogue Forum, scheduled in New Delhi from November 20 to 22.

The Details

According to an official statement issued by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government has nominated Musadik Masood Malik, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, to represent the country at the SCO Civilisational Dialogue in New Delhi.

"The Government of Pakistan has nominated Dr. Musadik Masood Malik, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, to represent Pakistan at the SCO Civilisational Dialogue to be held in New Delhi from 20 to 22 November 2026," the statement read.

SCO meet: Russia, China, Iran to attend; minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat 'hopeful' of Pakistan's participation The statement highlighted that the dialogue will convene representatives from across SCO member states to exchange perspectives on cultural understanding and civilisational engagement.

Live Events

Furthermore, Islamabad said it remains committed to "promoting dialogue among civilisations and fostering people-to-people contacts within the SCO framework in a spirit of mutual respect."

High-level ministerial visits between the two neighbours remain rare, making Malik's upcoming trip to the Indian capital a notable diplomatic development under the multilateral SCO banner.

This comes a day after

India confirmed that it has extended invitations to several nations, including all 10 member states of the SCO (including Pakistan), for the upcoming Civilisational Dialogue Forum, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from November 20 to 22.

Responding to a question from during a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that preparations are underway for the event in the national capital, underscoring India's readiness to welcome participating delegations.

"Several countries, including the SCO members, have been invited to this dialogue, which is to take place in New Delhi, and that is where it is. We look forward to hosting this Civilizational Dialogue," Jaiswal said.

The inaugural session of the SCO Civilizational Dialogue Forum, an initiative proposed by India to foster cultural exchange and people-to-people ties across Eurasia, is scheduled to be held in New Delhi later this month.

Alongside full SCO member states, India has also invited dialogue partners and observer countries to participate in the forum.

The invitation comes as earlier, on October 20, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced that India will host the first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum, inviting all member countries to participate in the initiative aimed at strengthening cultural ties and mutual understanding.

Addressing the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Singh highlighted India's longstanding friendship with Tajikistan and its close ties with Central Asian countries.

The Defence Minister also referred to the 25-year journey of the SCO, noting that leaders had reviewed the organisation's achievements and discussed its future during the SCO Summit in Bishkek.

"India gives great importance to our long-standing friendship with Tajikistan and our bond with Central Asian countries. During the SCO Summit in Bishkek, our leaders had outlined the 25 years of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. That occasion was about reviewing our shared journey as well as deliberating on the path to the future," he said.

Singh recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for concrete steps to strengthen security, connectivity and opportunities across the SCO region, adding that the message remained particularly relevant for the Council of Heads of Government.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar was also present during the meeting.

The developments come as Pakistan formally assumed the rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for the 2026-2027 term on September 1, 2026, taking over from Kyrgyzstan following the SCO summit in Bishkek.

The SCO currently comprises 10 member states -- Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

India became a full member of the organisation in 2017. The grouping also has Afghanistan and Mongolia as observer states and 15 dialogue partners.

Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source

Add Now!

• (You can now subscribe to our
• Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
• Read More News on
• SCO Civilisational Dialogue
• Musadik Masood Malik
• Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• India
• Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
• Bishkek
• (You can now subscribe to our
• Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
• Read More News on
• SCO Civilisational Dialogue
• Musadik Masood Malik
• Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• India
• Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
• Bishkek
• Prime Exclusives
• Investment Ideas
• Stock Report Plus ePaper
• Wealth Edition

Is CoreWeave's movement signalling a return of the AI trade?

How India’s INR22.5 lakh crore gold loan boom is hiding a big hole KYC and KYB: Pidilite's margin keeps finding its way back, though costlier raw materials can knock it off course – Part 2 of 3 Business of Odd Things: The farm that needs no land, freshwater, or fertiliser KYC and KYB: Inside Pidilite, the company that turned Fevicol into a word for a strong bond – Part 1 of 3 Seoul halts trading, Nifty has its best week since 2021: Money leaving the AI trade – will it land in India?