Will Pakistan Invite PM Modi for SCO Summit Next Year? Here's What Islamabad Said

Islamabad: Pakistan has signalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be invited to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State (CHS) Summit scheduled to be hosted in Islamabad next year, saying that invitations will be extended to all member nations in line with the organisation's established practice.

The clarification came after questions were raised over whether India's leadership would receive an invitation amid the strained bilateral relationship between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Speaking about Pakistan's preparations for assuming the SCO chairmanship, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the country is ready to host the summit in 2027 and has invited all SCO member states to participate.

Pakistan is set to take over the chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for the 2026–27 term before hosting the leaders' summit in Islamabad next year. Officials have already begun reviewing arrangements related to security, logistics, accommodation and media management for the high-profile gathering.

The SCO is a regional political, economic and security grouping comprising India, Pakistan, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Belarus. As the host nation, Pakistan is expected to invite the heads of state or government of all member countries under the organisation's established protocol.

Whether Prime Minister Modi attends the summit, however, remains uncertain and will depend on New Delhi's diplomatic assessment and official decision. India has not commented on its level of participation at the 2027 summit.

The issue has drawn attention because, during Pakistan's hosting of the SCO Heads of Government meeting in 2024, India was invited but Prime Minister Modi did not attend. Instead, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar represented India at the multilateral event in Islamabad.

The upcoming summit is expected to bring together leaders from across Eurasia to discuss regional security, trade, connectivity and economic cooperation, with Pakistan aiming to showcase its role as the SCO chair during the 2026–27 term.