NEW DELHI

An invitation for the meeting has been sent by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari through the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

In the first week of May, there will be a meeting in Goa on the 4th and 5th of May.

The SCO includes China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, apart from India and Pakistan.

A similar invitation has also been sent to the foreign ministers of China and Russia along with the Central Asian countries. But India’s invitation to the Pakistan Foreign Minister is particularly significant given the all-time low in bilateral relations.

Speaking to The Indian Express, a top official said, “In keeping with its ‘neighborhood first policy’, India desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan.

India’s consistent position is that any issue between India and Pakistan should be resolved bilaterally and peacefully in an environment free from terrorism and violence.

It is the responsibility of Pakistan to create such a conducive environment. It has been made clear that India will not compromise on issues related to national security.