Mahesh Sharma to take part in SCO culture ministers' meet in China

India will be part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization culture ministers' meet for the first time with Mahesh Sharma confirming his attendance at the conference tomorrow in China.

The 15th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) culture ministers would be held tomorrow in Sanya, China, a statement from the Culture Ministry said.

"It is the first time that India would be attending the SCO Culture Ministers' Meeting. The meeting will showcase India's initiatives to actively pursue cultural cooperation with other countries including SCO countries," the statement said.

It will also help to promote cultural relations and people to people contacts with the individual members of this organisation through cultural exchange programmes, the statement added.

India became full member of the SCO on June 9, 2017, during the SCO Heads of State Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan. Later, the SCO Division in the Ministry of External Affairs was established and National Coordinator and Permanent Representative to the SCO was appointed.

After the expansion of membership from five states to eight states, SCO represents approximately 42 per cent of the world's population, 20 per cent of its GDP and 22 per cent of the landmass.