ISLAMABAD: The defence ministers of Pakistan and India, Khawaja Asif and Rajnath Singh, may hold their first meeting since last month’s military conflict, as they both attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) defence ministers’ summit in Qingdao, China. The two-day summit is hosted by Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun.
This is the first time since the Marka-e-Haq conflict that high-ranking officials from both nations will be present at the same event. According to reports, a meeting between the two ministers may take place on the sidelines of the summit.
On the first day of the meeting, Chinese Defence Minister Dong held one-on-one discussions with defence ministers from Belarus, Iran, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. During these meetings, he emphasized the importance of international fairness, justice, and global strategic stability.
Ahead of the defence ministers’ meeting, a session with the security council secretaries of SCO member countries was held, where Pakistan was represented by its National Security Adviser (NSA). During this visit, the NSA met with Chinese leadership and discussed enhancing bilateral and security cooperation, reiterating Pakistan’s stance on regional and global security issues.
Chinese Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong proposed a five-point plan, urging SCO members to practice true multilateralism, address global challenges, and deepen counter-terrorism capabilities, particularly for transnational crimes. Wang also advocated for enhancing regional cooperation to build a global security community.
