SCO summit: Jaishankar to meet Qin, Lavrov in Goa today

NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan in Goa on Thursday.

"Tomorrow's bilateral meetings of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with SCO Secretary General, foreign ministers of Russia, China and Uzbekistan," an MEA official told ANI.

It is pertinent to mention that this is the second time that both Chinese and Russian ministers are in India this year.

They were in New Delhi in March for the G20 Foreign Ministers' meeting.

The SCO Foreign Ministers' Meeting will be held on May 4 and 5 in Goa.

Earlier, China said their Foreign Minister would visit India to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said,

"At the meeting, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang will exchange views with other SCO member states' foreign ministers on the international and regional situation and SCO cooperation in various fields, among other topics, to make full preparation for this year's SCO summit."

India and China's relations deteriorated after the Galwan Valley clash.

India and China have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks for disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh following the actions of the Chinese Army which led to a standoff in May 2020.

There is no confirmation of a bilateral between India's foreign minister S Jaishankar and Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said that Bhutto-Zardari will lead the Pakistani delegation to the meeting of SCO foreign ministers in Goa.

Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch during a weekly presser on Thursday stated that Bhutto-Zardari is attending the SCO Foreign Ministers' meeting at the invitation of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

"Our participation at the meeting reflects Pakistan's continued commitment to the SCO charter and process and the importance that Pakistan accords to the region in its foreign policy priorities," the spokesperson said.

Bilawal will be the first foreign minister to visit India after a gap of nearly 12 years, reported Business Recorder.

In 2011, then Pakistan foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar visited India.

Founded in 2001, the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) include Russia, India, China, Pakistan, and four central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.