India gets full membership of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

• Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has decided to include India as a full member.
• India will work with the SCO to enhance connectivity, combat terror and create an environment for boosting trade by easing barriers.
• India was an observer for the past 10 years and now it will become member by next year after completion of certain procedures.
• Apart from India, Pakistan is also included as the member.
• India was observer nation since 2005 and it ap
  plied for full membership last year.
• Belarus has obtained observer status, joining Afghanistan, Iran and Mongolia.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is a Eurasian political, economic and military organisation which was founded on 26 April 1996 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan.

• Headquarters: Beijing, China
• Members: China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, India
• Observers: Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Mongolia

Activities

• The SCO is primarily focused on its member nations’ Central Asian security-related concerns.
• It has been active in the area of social development of its member states.
• It has increased activities in military cooperation, intelligence sharing, and counterterrorism.
• The other areas where SCO is active are in economic and cultural operations.