India to sign memorandum of obligation to join SCO

India will sign a memorandum of obligation in Tashkent today to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

India is likely to be given the status of full member of the SCO during the extended meeting of member states and observer countries of the organisation on Friday.

India will also sign about 30 other documents during the period of one year to become a permanent member of the SCO.

Prime Ministers Narendra Modi will also hold bilateral meetings with the Presidents of Russia, Belarus and Tajikistan on the sidelines of the SCO Summit before returning home tonight.

The two-day SCO summit began on Thursday.

During his meeting with President Putin, Prime Minister Modi is expected to raise the issue of India's NSG membership.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi raised the NSG issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping and asked the latter to view India's application for membership fairly, objectively and on merit.