Article Posted on : - Jan 17, 2018

BEIJING (PTI): India for the first time took part in a meeting of the international military cooperation departments of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) since joining the bloc in 2017.

An Indian delegation led by Major General Ajay Seth participated in the meeting, which discussed issues of practical cooperation among SCO nations, an Indian Embassy press release said in Beijing on Tuesday.

The two-day meeting concluded on Tuesday.

This is the first meeting attended by India in the field of defence cooperation under the SCO framework.

India and Pakistan were admitted last year into the grouping in which China plays an influential role.

The SCO is comprised of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.

Officials say both India and China look to SCO as a major platform for improving bilateral ties bogged down by a host of differences, including the 73-day military standoff at Dokalam last year.