In what is being hailed as a major diplomatic breakthrough between two nuclear-armed neighbors with a history of fractious relations, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be visiting India next month. This visit marks the highest-level visit in seven years, and it is a significant development in the diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Zardari will be attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) foreign ministers meeting on May 4-5 in the western Indian coastal state of Goa. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the visit and said that "our participation in the meeting reflects Pakistan's commitment to the SCO Charter and processes and the importance that Pakistan accords to the region in its foreign policy priorities."
This is the first time that the most senior Pakistani foreign office representative has visited India since 2016. The diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan have been fraught with distrust and occasional bouts of open conflict for decades. However, tensions between the two countries escalated in 2016 after the Indian army said it had conducted "surgical attacks" in the disputed region of Kashmir to foil a "terrorist attack." In 2019, Pakistan shot down two Indian fighter jets, a day after India said it had launched airstrikes in Pakistani territory, resulting in further escalation of tensions.
Despite these tensions, China has played a significant role in bringing the two countries together. China is an important ally of Pakistan, with close economic, diplomatic, and military ties. China has also been leading the SCO, an eight-member regional security and economic grouping, which includes India, Pakistan, and Russia.
China brokered a deal between two other longstanding foes, Iran and Saudi Arabia, last month. Iran and Saudi Arabia announced that they had agreed to reestablish diplomatic ties after seven years of hostility, in a deal that could have wide-ranging implications for the Middle East and was seen as a significant soft power win for Beijing.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, Saudi Arabia moved closer to joining the SCO bloc by being granted the status of a dialogue partner as it expands its global outreach. The kingdom could eventually be granted full membership.
In conclusion, Pakistan's Foreign Minister's visit to India is a significant development in the diplomatic ties between the two countries, which have been fraught with tensions for decades. The role played by China in bringing the two countries together cannot be overstated, and the SCO is emerging as a crucial platform for regional security and economic cooperation.