The defence ministers of Pakistan and India are expected to meet face-to-face for the first time since a military standoff between the South Asian nuclear rivals last month over Kashmir, as officials from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) gather for a two-day summit in eastern China.
The meeting begins on Wednesday in Qingdao and is hosted by Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun.
According to a statement from China's Defence Ministry, the event comes amid heightened regional tensions, particularly in the Middle East.
Pakistani side will be led by their Defence Minister Khwaja Asif.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is also scheduled to arrive with a high-level delegation and will hold talks on the sidelines with his counterparts from China, Russia and other participating countries.
Since the May 2025 military flare-up between India and Pakistan in the disputed Kashmir region, relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours have remained tense.
The SCO summit will focus on regional and global security, counterterrorism cooperation, and military coordination among member states.
China, which currently holds the rotating presidency, said the gathering aims to "consolidate and deepen military mutual trust" and "safeguard regional peace and stability."
The SCO was established in 2001 and includes China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Belarus.
Its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) is considered a core security body within the organisation.
China’s theme for this year’s presidency is "Upholding the Shanghai spirit: SCO on the move."
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Source: TRT