New Delhi:

S. Jaishankar, who is in Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization or SCO Summit hosted in Islamabad, had a brief conversation with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at an official dinner for all summit participants today.

The two leaders shook hands and exchanged a courtesy greeting as Mr Sharif welcomed Mr Jaishankar to the official dinner for the SCO leaders. Only a few worlds were spoken during the interaction, which lasted less than twenty seconds.

Relations between India and Pakistan have been almost non-existent in the last decade since Pakistan-based terrorists attacked Indian military installations in a series of terror attacks in 2015 and 2016. India, which has long sought peace and stability in the region, has made it clear to Pakistan that “terror and talks cannot go hand in hand” and that “dialogue and diplomacy can move forward only in a terrorism-free environment.”

Almost a decade without dialogue

Mr Jaishankar's visit to Pakistan is the first by an Indian minister in almost a decade. The last visit by an Indian foreign minister came when Mr. Jaishankar's predecessor, Sushma Swaraj, visited Islamabad for a conference on Afghanistan. Mr Jaishankar, the then External Affairs Minister, had accompanied the then Minister on her official visit.

Sushma Swaraj's visit was soon followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who pushed for peace in the region by taking the initiative and paying a surprise visit to then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at his ancestral home. However, despite India's sincere efforts, the talks were again derailed by a series of terror attacks on Indian soil by terrorists harbored and harbored in Pakistan.

Before reaching Islamabad, Mr. Jaishankar told a press conference in New Delhi that his visit to the neighboring country was only for the SCO summit and that no bilateral talks would take place with Islamabad.

| Regard: NDTV World Summit on October 21st and 22nd. You can find out all the details here.

Mr Jaishankar had said: “Like any neighbor, India certainly wants to have good relations with Pakistan, but that cannot happen by ignoring cross-border terrorism and indulging in wishful thinking.” The decision to send the senior minister to Pakistan, that host country of the SCO summit this time is seen simply as a sign of India's commitment to the forum.

Pakistan will host the two-day summit of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (SCO CHG) on October 15 and 16. “The meeting of the SCO CHG is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the organization,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said.