Sushma Swaraj not to hold bilateral talks with Pakistan on sidelines of SCO in China

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who embarked on her two-nation visit to China and Mongolia on Saturday, will hold no bilateral meeting with her Pakistani counterpart Khawaja Muhammad Asif on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in China, say official sources.

Swaraj is scheduled to take part in a ministerial-level meeting of the SCO on April 24. She will set the tone for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will participate in the meeting of foreign defence ministers of SCO. India became a full member of the SCO in 2017.

Several ministers from Pakistan are expected to attend both the events.

On a related note, PM Modi, who attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London, did not interact with his Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of CHOGM.

Read | Pakistan conspiring to break up India, says Rajnath Singh

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was present to lead his delegation in CHOGM 2018.

However, Swaraj will also hold bilateral talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, besides similar talks with some other members of the SCO.

Delhi: EAM Sushma Swaraj departs for visit to China & Mongolia from 21 to 26 April. pic.twitter.com/KUDLyGCvYf

— ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2018

Post that, Swaraj will depart for Mongolia on Tuesday. She will be in Mongolia from April 24 to April 25.