India has formally confirmed that invitations have been sent to numerous countries, encompassing all member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, for the forthcoming Civilizational Dialogue Forum.

The three-day gathering is scheduled to take place in New Delhi from November 20 to 22, marking a significant diplomatic and cultural milestone for the region.

During a media briefing in the national capital, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reaffirmed that comprehensive preparations are actively underway for the summit, underscoring India's readiness to welcome visiting international delegations.

"Several countries, including the SCO members, have been invited to this dialogue, which is to take place in New Delhi, and that is where it is. We look forward to hosting this Civilizational Dialogue," Jaiswal stated while addressing reporters.

Conceived as an initiative proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the SCO leaders' summit in Tianjin in 2025 and subsequently adopted by the grouping, the inaugural session of the SCO Civilizational Dialogue Forum seeks to cultivate cultural exchange and deepen people-to-people connections across Eurasia.

Organised by the Ministry of Culture in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, the forum will centre on four primary thematic pillars: Cultural Expression, Art and Architecture, Language and Literature, and Religious and Philosophical traditions.

Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat noted that the gathering will extend well beyond conventional academic deliberations, incorporating vibrant exhibitions and cultural performances designed to showcase the shared heritage and artistic traditions of the participating states.

Alongside full member states of the grouping, New Delhi has extended invitations to observer nations and dialogue partners to ensure broad regional representation at the forum.

So far, 15 nations—including China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Belarus, Nepal, Armenia, Saudi Arabia, Cambodia, and Tajikistan—have officially confirmed their participation in the event.

Notably, India has invited all 10 full member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, including Pakistan, to attend the inaugural dialogue in New Delhi.

Pakistan's Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurungzeb Khan Khichi, is among those invited, and his potential attendance would mark the first visit by a Pakistani minister to India since former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari travelled to Goa for an SCO meeting in May 2023.

The formal confirmation of these invitations follows an announcement made on October 20 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who declared that India would host the inaugural Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Civilisational Dialogue Forum before the close of the year to bolster cultural ties and mutual understanding.

Addressing the 25th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Singh emphasised India's enduring friendship with Tajikistan and its deep-rooted bonds with Central Asian republics.

"At the end of this year, India will host the first SCO Civilisation Dialogue Forum. We invite all SCO countries to participate in it," Singh told the gathering in Dushanbe.

During his address, the Defence Minister also reflected upon the 25-year trajectory of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, noting that regional leaders had previously evaluated the bloc's accomplishments and charted its future course during the SCO Summit in Bishkek.

“India gives great importance to our long-standing friendship with Tajikistan and our bond with Central Asian countries. During the SCO Summit in Bishkek, our leaders had outlined the 25 years of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. That occasion was about reviewing our shared journey as well as deliberating on the path to the future,” he remarked.

Singh further recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for tangible measures to reinforce security, regional connectivity, and economic opportunities across the SCO sphere, stressing that this vision remains particularly pertinent to the Council of Heads of Government.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar was also in attendance at the Dushanbe meeting where these remarks were delivered.

These diplomatic engagements unfold against the backdrop of Pakistan formally assuming the rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for the 2026-2027 term on September 1, 2026, succeeding Kyrgyzstan following the Bishkek summit.

Currently, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation comprises 10 full member states: Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

India acceded to the bloc as a full member in 2017, joining a wider framework that also incorporates Afghanistan and Mongolia as observer states alongside 15 dialogue partners.

ANI