India seeks full member status in SCO

India today sought full member status of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), saying it was keen to deepen security-related cooperation with the six-nation grouping, particularly its anti-terror mechanism.
Addressing the SCO's Heads of State Summit here, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid reiterated India's stand that it is ready to play a larger role in SCO as a full member, once the organisation reaches consensus on its expansion.
"It is our conviction that an expanded SCO will be a more effective body to address the numerous security and developmental challenges that our region faces," he said.
India is also keen to deepen its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) in particular, Khurshid said.

"We look forward to the signing of the Model Protocol of Intent in the near future as a demonstration of our willingness and commitment," he said.
India believes "only multilateral efforts and integrated actions can help effectively counter these negative forces, including the related evils of drug trafficking and small arms proliferation", he said.
Referring to India's emergence as a vibrant economy and a vast market, its repository of human, scientific and technological knowledge, and its development and security related experience of over six decades, Khurshid said, "We believe that India can make deeper contributions to enrich the SCO process and contribute to its success."

India has been an observer at the SCO since 2005 and has generally participated at the ministerial-level at summits. SCO focusses on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian space.