According to India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, the fight against terrorism, separatism, and extremism is a key priority for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
Jaishankar stated that he is pleased Kazakhstan, during its chairmanship, negotiated an updated program to combat these “three evils” within the SCO framework. The SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), based in Tashkent, is the permanent body tasked with maintaining working relations with member states to tackle issues of terrorism, separatism, and extremism .
Some of RATS’ key responsibilities include :
- Assisting in counter-terrorism exercises and operations among member states
- Jointly drafting legal documents to fight these threats
- Gathering and analyzing information to maintain a RATS data bank
- Organizing conferences and workshops to share best practices
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Jaishankar emphasized that India, as a permanent SCO member, will benefit from increased cooperation in this area, including by participating in RATS processes, counter-terror exercises, and military drills Prime Minister Modi has also underscored the importance of SCO cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
The SCO’s focus on combating terrorism, separatism, and extremism aligns with India’s own national security priorities. As a member, India will have the opportunity to work closely with other Central Asian countries to address these common security threats .