Islamabad: India has decided to participate virtually in the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting of trade ministers, set to be convened in Islamabad this Thursday. This decision comes amidst ongoing discussions among senior officials from SCO member countries to finalize the agenda for the pivotal meeting.

According to Kashmir Media Service, preparations for the high-level SCO meeting are underway, with member country representatives engaged in intensive agenda-setting discussions. These talks are expected to extend into the next day to ensure all critical issues are addressed for the trade ministers’ meeting.

The SCO, a significant regional multilateral organization, includes China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and other member states, and focuses on political, economic, and security-related cooperation.

Pakistan had earlier invited India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal for an on-site visit to attend the meeting. The invitation was extended on September 2 through diplomatic channels. Before this, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also invited all heads of governments of the SCO member states, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in line with SCO protocols. Despite this, reports from Indian media suggest that Prime Minister Modi is likely to skip the meeting in Islamabad.