Top defense officials from Pakistan and India are expected to meet face-to-face for the first time since last month’s military clash, during a major Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in China. The two-day summit began Wednesday in Qingdao, hosted by China’s Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun.
According to Turkish news outlet TRT Global, the high-level gathering will focus on military cooperation, regional security, and counterterrorism efforts among SCO member states. The meeting comes at a time of rising global tensions, particularly in the Middle East.
Pakistan’s delegation is being led by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, while Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has also arrived in Qingdao with a senior delegation. He is expected to hold separate meetings with defense officials from China, Russia, and other participating countries.
Notably, this marks the first potential interaction between the defense ministers of India and Pakistan since a deadly border skirmish occurred in May 2025 in the disputed Kashmir region, escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
China, currently holding the presidency of the SCO, has emphasized the goal of the summit: to strengthen mutual trust between member states’ militaries and promote long-term peace and stability in the region. The theme for this year is “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO in Action.”
Founded in 2001, the SCO includes China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Belarus. Its Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) remains a central security body for intelligence-sharing and joint counterterrorism efforts.