WATCH: Cold welcome by EAM Jaishankar to Pakistan FM Bilawal Bhuto at SCO meet

SCO Summit: Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar accorded a rather cold welcome to Pakistan’s foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari ahead of Friday’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conclave in Goa.

Visuals showed Jaishankar greeting his Pakistan counterpart with a ‘namaste’ with Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari reciprocating the gesture.

However, Jaishankar sported a somewhat cold expression and allowed the assembled media a brief photo session before asking Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to step away with a curt gesture.

#WATCH | EAM Dr S Jaishankar welcomes Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for the Meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers in Goa pic.twitter.com/TVe0gzml1U

— ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2023

Jaishankar’s behaviour with his Pakistan counterpart Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was in sharp contrast to how he welcomed other representatives at the SCO meet. His treatment of Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov was particularly warm, symbolising India’s traditional ties with Russia.

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is the first top level leader from Pakistan to visit India in nearly 12 years. A bilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan hasn't been officially confirmed yet, though.

#WATCH | EAM Dr S Jaishankar welcomes Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for the Meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers in Goa pic.twitter.com/SzLmR4GEIF

— ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2023

The SCO Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) conference Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is attending in India takes place as tensions between the two nations remain high over a number of topics, notably Islamabad's use of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

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