India and Pakistan were on Friday accepted as full members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a regional grouping including China and Russia, with which Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered to work in combating terror and boosting trade by easing barriers.
India to become full member by 2016
India was on Friday accepted as a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a six-member regional grouping, to which Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered to work in combating terror and boosting trade by easing barriers.
India, which has had an observer status for the past 10 years, will technically become a member by next year after completion of certain procedures.
The Beijing-based SCO currently has China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan as members. Along with India, the process to include Pakistan as a member was initiated here on Friday.
“I convey our deep sense of gratitude to the members of the SCO for accepting India as a full member,” Mr. Modi said after the announcement was made at the summit, attended by leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
