India seeks full membership of SCO

[Neo]

India seeks full membership of SCO

NEW DELHI: For the first time, India has officially sought full membership of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the central Asian grouping dominated by China and Russia, looked upon by many as an emerging counter-weight to NATO.

India will vie for full membership with rival Pakistan — which officially applied much earlier and has China's backing — at the SCO summit meet next month in Kazakhstan's Astana where the group will take up the expansion issue.

Both India and Pakistan, along with Iran and Mongolia, have observer status at SCO. The group, which exercises immense influence in the energy-rich central Asia on security and economic issues, comprises Russia, China, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as full-time members. SCO has become crucial for regional peace and Afghanistan has also sought observer status in the group.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/i...ow/8351229.cms

[keysersoze]

Hmm i wonder why they have decided to apply all of a sudden?

[vinod2070]

What do you think?

[keysersoze]

I have no idea. from what I remember I thought India didn'tcare about the SCO

[vinod2070]

Well, India doesb't want to be a part of any military alliance, has never been in one.

So far SCO is not a military alliance AFAIK. It may become one in future.