New Delhi is extending an olive branch of sorts, inviting Pakistan’s Aurangzeb Khan Khichi to the inaugural SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum. The three-day event, slated for November 20 to 22 at the Purana Qila, brings together culture ministers from the bloc’s ten member states, including China, Russia, and Iran. It’s a calculated move to keep diplomatic channels open within the multilateral framework, even as bilateral relations remain frozen.
The invitation carries historical weight. Since the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Goa in May 2023, when Bilawal Bhutto Zardari attended, no Pakistani minister has set foot in India for an official event. That window closed abruptly with the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025 and India’s subsequent military operation, Sindoor. Now, the invitation suggests a desire to engage, albeit through the safer, structured corridor of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
Islamabad has not yet confirmed whether Khichi will accept the invitation. The event also includes representatives from 15 Dialogue Partners and observer countries, creating a crowded diplomatic environment that may ease the pressure on direct bilateral talks. For India, the goal is clear: maintain presence and influence within the SCO while keeping the door ajar for Pakistan.
The next step remains uncertain, with Pakistan’s response pending. If Khichi attends, it will be the first high-level face-to-face interaction between the two nations’ officials in a year. The foreign ministries of both countries are likely to watch the reaction closely, as any engagement, however symbolic, could set a precedent for future diplomatic moves.