SCO NSAs to meet in China to discuss security cooperation

India's Deputy National Security Advisor Rajinder Khanna will attend the meeting of the SCO NSAs in China next week to discuss security cooperation between the members of the eight-nation grouping.

The NSAs meeting is being organized ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit to be held in the Chinese city of Qingdao from June 9 to 10 which will also be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This will be the first summit of the grouping after India and Pakistan joined as full members last year.

The 13th meeting of the SCO National Security Council Secretaries will be held in Beijing from May 21 to 22 on the invitation of China's Public Security Minister and State Councillor Zhao Kezhi, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang announced today.

The meeting would focus on improving the security cooperation between the members.

During the meeting, the participants will review the security situation and discuss priorities for security cooperation, the announcement said.

India will be represented by Deputy NSA Khanna, it said.

Over the years, the SCO has developed strong anti-terrorism cooperation structure, Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS).

It specialised in cooperation in counter-terrorism operations with periodic exercises between the member countries.

The meeting will also be attended by Secretary-General of the SCO Rashid Alimov and Director of the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Antiterrorist Structure.

The SCO in which China plays an influential role is comprised of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.

Pakistan's NSA Lieutenant General (retired) Naseer Khan Janjua is also due to take part in the SCO NSAs meeting.