India To Participate In Joint Anti-Terror Exercise Along With China, Pakistan And Other SCO Members Later This Year

India is set to partake in an anti-terrorism exercise along with China, Pakistan, and the other members of the eight-member grouping called Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), reports Economic Times.

The decision to hold the joint anti-terrorism exercise called "Pabbi-Antiterror-2021" was announced during the 36th meeting of the Council of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 18 March.

The meeting saw attendance from the delegations of the competent authorities of India, Kazakhstan, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and the RATS Executive Committee. The said meeting of the Council of the RATS also saw the grouping approve the draft program of cooperation for 2022-24 to counter terrorism, separatism, and extremism.

The Tashkent-headquartered RATS is a permanent organ of the SCO which serves to promote the cooperation of member states against terrorism, separatism, and extremism. Its next meeting is scheduled to be held in Uzbekistan in September.

It should be noted that India and Pakistan joined the SCO as full-time members only in 2017. It's founding members include China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.