Indian Delegation Joins SCO National Coordinators Meeting in Islamabad

What happened

The first meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of National Coordinators (CNC) under Pakistan's 2026–2027 chairmanship was conducted in Islamabad from 28 to 30 September 2026. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Mohammad Faisal, Pakistan's National Coordinator for the SCO. India was represented by its SCO National Coordinator Alok Dimri, who serves as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), accompanied by Piyush Verma.

National Coordinators from all 10 SCO member states—Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—attended the deliberations, alongside official representatives from the SCO Secretariat and the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). The central theme for Pakistan's chairmanship for 2026–2027 was presented as 'Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity'.

The agenda focused on structuring the calendar of activities under the new chairmanship, coordinating upcoming ministerial conferences, and reviewing regional initiatives in trade, security, and connectivity. Crucially, the meeting initiated groundwork for the SCO Council of Heads of State summit, which Pakistan is scheduled to host in Islamabad in August 2027. During the discussions, India highlighted that member states had agreed to convene an SCO Civilisational Dialogue in New Delhi on 20 November 2026.

On 30 September 2026, the visiting national coordinators called on Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad. The delegations also visited the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) and the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium, which is slated to host an SCO Hockey Tournament from 20 November to 2 December 2026.

📅 Important dates

📝 What candidates should do

• Memorise the full list of 10 SCO member states along with the years India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus joined.
• Note the headquarters of both the primary SCO Secretariat (Beijing) and the RATS Executive Committee (Tashkent) as they are frequently tested in SSC and Banking exams.
• Track the timeline of Pakistan's chairmanship through 2026–2027 and remember key Indian engagements such as the New Delhi Civilisational Dialogue.

🔍 PrepZen analysis

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation remains one of the few multilateral platforms where Indian and Pakistani officials regularly interact despite strained bilateral ties. India's participation through its National Coordinator in Islamabad highlights New Delhi's institutional commitment to Eurasian integration and the SCO framework.

For competitive examinations, questions on the SCO frequently test expansion milestones, summit host nations, and administrative bodies. Candidates should specifically track the upcoming 2027 Heads of State Summit host (Pakistan) and India's hosting of the SCO Civilisational Dialogue in November 2026.

✍️ Practice questions

❓ FAQs

Prepared by the PrepZen Editorial Team from official releases and verified reports, for exam preparation. Spotted an error? Write to prepzen.app@gmail.com.