Top security officials of SCO countries discuss counter-terrorism cooperation

India and other member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) have discussed ways to strengthen cooperation within the grouping in the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking and transnational crimes.

Deputy National Security Adviser Rajinder Khanna, and Pakistan's NSA Nasser Khan Janjua, along with top security officials of the SCO member countries concluded their two-day meeting here today.

The security officials met ahead of the SCO summit in the Chinese city of Qingdao to be held on June 9-10. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to take part in the summit.

It will be first summit of the SCO after India and Pakistan were admitted into the bloc last year.

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

Khanna, who is also the cecretary of the National Security Council secretariat today called on Chinese President Xi Jinping along with other secretaries of the national security councils of the other nations attending the meeting.

At the meeting, the participants exchanged views on ways to strengthen SCO cooperation in the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking and transnational organised crime, a press release from the Indian Embassy here said.

They discussed the security situation in Afghanistan as well as other topical issues of regional and international importance. They also reviewed the preparations for the Qingdao summit and the signing of outcome documents in the field of security, it said.

Yesterday, Khanna held talks with Chinese Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi during which they discussed security and law enforcement cooperation between the two countries after the Wuhan summit between Modi and Xi.

The informal summit between Modi and Xi was held in the Chinese city of Wuhan last month during which the two leaders had overarching discussions on issues related to both countries.