The plausibility of an India-Pakistan ice-breaker at the highest level seems to have faded, but a political handshake between the neighbours is still possible early next month.
A source said minister of state in the external affairs ministry MJ Akbar will represent India at the leaders’ meet of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which is expected to be attended by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Though there is no official announcement yet, reports suggested Sharif will attend the meeting.
The meeting of the grouping will be held in Bishkek, capital of Central Asian country Kyrgyzstan, on November 2 and 3.
India and Pakistan are the new members of the SCO grouping, which for long has been touted as a possible counterweight to the US-led security bloc NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation).
The grouping also includes Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Some SCO members in the past had raised concerns that the India-Pakistan bilateral tussle would spill over into the grouping’s proceedings, which both Pakistan and India dismissed as misplaced fears.