First since Op Sindoor: Pak to send minister for Delhi SCO event

Explained

Indian news outlets reported on 14 and 15 November that Pakistan will send a minister to New Delhi for the SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum. The reports describe the trip as a rare visit following the military confrontation between the two countries in May 2025, though they frame its significance in slightly different ways.

What happened

According to The Statesman, Pakistan has confirmed that it will take part in the forum and has named Musadik Malik, a federal minister, to attend. The same outlet gives the dates as 20 to 22 November. Zee News reported that the minister is "set to land" in Delhi for the event, while The Times of India, in a report published on 15 November, said Pakistan would send a minister for the event in Delhi.

The Statesman's confirmation report says India had invited a Pakistani minister for the first time since the Operation Sindoor strikes of May 2025. That is the context most of the coverage highlights.

Why it matters

The reports present the visit as a notable moment in India-Pakistan contact because it is the first such ministerial trip since Operation Sindoor. The Statesman's other piece, however, describes it differently: as the first ministerial visit since 2023. That is a different baseline, and the two framings should be read together rather than as the same claim. The first points to the events of May 2025 as the reference point; the second points to 2023 as the last time a Pakistani minister made such a visit.

The stories do not describe any agreements, talks between officials, or policy changes linked to the trip. Coverage so far focuses on the fact of the visit itself.

What we don't know yet

The reports do not say whether Musadik Malik will hold bilateral meetings with Indian officials, or whether he will address the forum publicly. They also do not say whether the trip will lead to any follow-up engagement. The Times of India report appears to have been published as a short item, and the other outlets do not provide details beyond the confirmation and the dates. Readers should treat the visit as confirmed by Pakistan according to The Statesman, while details of the programme and the Indian side's response remain unreported in the material available.

Written by the 91News.in desk with AI assistance, based on reports from Times of India, Zee News, The Statesman. Updated 15 Nov 2026, 11:05 am. Spotted an error? Tell us.