Nirmala Sitharaman attends SCO Defence Ministers’ conclave at Bishkek

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday attended the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ conclave at Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan.

During the conclave, ways to further boost defence and security cooperation among the member countries in the wake of evolving security challenges in the region were discussed.

Pakistan was also granted membership of the SCO in 2017. The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its members last year.

India is however currently working towards deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence.

On the sidelines of the conclave, Sitharaman attended a bilateral meeting with Chinese defence minister General Wei Fenghe.

India became a full member of the China-dominated grouping in 2017 and New Delhi’s entry into it increased the bloc’s heft in regional geopolitics, besides giving it a pan-Asian hue.

The defence minister held talks with Russian defence minister general Sergey Shoygu and discussed key bilateral defence issues.

She also held a bilateral meeting with Major General Raimberdi Duishenbiev, Chief of General Staff of Kyrgyz Armed Forces, and discussed defence cooperation between the two countries.

India was an observer at the SCO since 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region.

Konark Bassi

Konark, a great human being by nature is also a good learner and a deep thinker. Konark portrays his incredible writing skills into journalism and writes what he finds authentic and acceptable. He is a good social worker and enjoys his time caring for others.

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