India's dissent over China's BRI not a threat to SCO: Secy-General Norov

New Delhi has gone public with its concern on Beijing's strategic initiative at various international fora over the past years

India's decision not to endorse China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative in Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) poses no threat to the bloc as its structure is democratic enough to allow a member country to opt-out of projects backed by others, its General-Secretary Vladimir Norov said.

Beijing-headquartered SCO is an eight-member economic and security bloc.

India and Pakistan were admitted into the grouping in 2017. Its founding members include China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

In a wide-ranging interview with PTI, Norov, who is also a former foreign minister of Uzbekistan, addressed issues related to India's role in the bloc which is