India, Pakistan to Participate Together in SCO Counter-Terror Exercise – “Peace Mission-2018”

For the first time, India and Pakistan will be part of a multi-nation counter-terror exercise.

• The counter-terror exercise is to be conducted in Russia in September 2018.
• It will be joined by China and several other countries.
• The military exercise is going to take place under the framework of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). 
• India’s participation at exercise was confirmed by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during meeting of SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting held in Beijing in April 2018.

Key Facts

• The military drill will be held in the Ural Mountains of Russia and almost all SCO member countries will be part of it.
• The main objective of this Peace Mission is to enhance counter-terror cooperation among the eight SCO member countries.
• Though armies of India and Pakistan have worked together in UN peacekeeping missions, but this would be the first time since Independence that both these countries would together be a part of some military exercise.

About SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization)

• The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the Presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. 
• It is a political and security grouping headquartered in Beijing. 
• Its full time members are- China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, India and Pakistan.
• They represent over 40% of humanity and nearly 20% of the global GDP.
• Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia have observer status at present.
• India and Pakistan were also admitted as observers in 2005 but they finally became full members in 2017.
• India's membership was strongly pushed by Russia while Pakistan's entry into the grouping was backed by China. 
• SCO is successor of grouping called Shanghai Five, founded by China in 1996.
• Summits of the Council of Heads of State are held annually at alternating venues. 
• The basic objective of SCO is to enhance military cooperation among its members.
• It also works towards intelligence-sharing, counter-terrorism operations in Central Asia.

Expected Questions

Question No 1:

Where are the headquarters of SCO located?
Answer: Beijing, China

Question No 2:

Name the mission/military drill of SCO which would witness the participation of India and Pakistan?
Answer: Peace Mission 2018

Question No 3:

When did India and Pakistan become the full members of SCO?
Answer:  2017

Question No 4:

How many member countries are there in SCO?
Answer: eight