TASHKENT (Sputnik) — India and the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) discuss practical aspects of cooperation in the struggle against terrorism, a RATS spokesperson said Monday.
"The parties discussed mechanisms that can facilitate accession of India’s competent authorities to the SCO RATS operations should such decision be made during the forthcoming SCO Heads of States Summit in Tashkent in June this year," the RATS press service said in a statement issued following the meeting.
The spokesperson told RIA Novosti that the SCO was expected to sign with both India and Pakistan memorandums necessary for the membership of the two states in the organization next month in Tashkent.
The SCO is a political, economic and military alliance that includes Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India's and Pakistan's accession talks were launched in July 2015, but New Delhi and Islamabad will only officially accede to the organization after they complete all required procedures.
