For the first time since last month’s military flare-up, Pakistan and India’s defence ministers are attending the same high-level forum — the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) defence ministers’ summit in Qingdao, China. The development has sparked speculation over possible informal engagement between the two nuclear-armed rivals.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh are among several regional leaders attending the two-day conclave hosted by Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun in Shandong province. While no bilateral meeting is officially on the agenda, diplomatic observers note the possibility of quiet backchannel exchanges or a sideline interaction.
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The SCO summit opened on Thursday and includes defence representatives from key member states including China, Russia, Iran, and Central Asian nations. On the first day, China’s defence minister held one-on-one meetings with various delegates, including Khawaja Asif, and emphasized regional cooperation and resisting foreign interference.
The summit follows a recent NSA-level SCO meeting where Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to regional peace and security. China’s public security chief also outlined a five-point regional security proposal, underscoring SCO’s push for deeper counter-terrorism collaboration and multilateral engagement.
Although official sources from both Islamabad and New Delhi have downplayed any direct talks, experts believe the shared platform itself signals a potential thaw — or at the very least, an opening for dialogue in a tense bilateral climate.
