In its capacity as the present chair of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (SCO-RATS), India hosted the RATS Council meeting in New Delhi on Friday, wherein member stated vowed to implement joint measures to counter threats posed by international terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan.
"Joint measures of the competent authorities of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to counter the challenges and threats posed by international terrorist organisations from the territory of Afghanistan were approved," India's Deputy National Security Advisor, Dattatray Padsalgikar, said at a media briefing.
Joint Military Exercise in China
Padsalgikar added that the member nations also decided to organise a military exercise called "Solidarity- 2023" next year.It is learnt that the exercise will take place in China.
"The Council of the SCO-RATS decided to organise and conduct a joint border operation with the forces and means of the border services of the competent authorities of the SCO member states 'Solidarity-2023'," the deputy NSA said.
Furthermore, the meeting also considered the course of implementation of earlier decisions of SCO-RATS. "The work plans of the SCO-RATS Executive Committee, as well as the activities of the group of technical experts of the competent authorities of the SCO member states, expert groups in the areas of border cooperation and countering the use of the Internet for terrorist, separatist and extremist purposes were approved," Padsalgikar said.
Full attendance
The meeting was attended by senior officials of all the member nations including China and Pakistan.
India handed over chairmanship of the SCO-RATS to Kazakhstan to conclude the meeting.
(With inputs from PTI)
