The global security landscape is faced with several challenges on account of development in recent years, affecting the SCO region as well, said Ajit Doval on Wednesday at the National Security Advisors' meeting in Delhi.
Pakistan has begun in-house consultations to decide whether to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meetings of the defence and foreign ministers in India since New Delhi has already extended invitations to Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zarda
"As India chairs Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting - taking into consideration PM Narendra Modi's message - three pillars have been formed: Startups and Innovations, Science and Technology and Traditional medicine," said Dammu Ravi, Secretary (ER), Ministry of External Affairs,
Pakistan on Friday virtually attended the Meeting of Heads of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tourism Administrations held in 'Kashi' (Varanasi).
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Chair India sent an invitation to SCO nations including Pakistan for the SCO meeting to be held in New Delhi in April this year. However, the Ministry of External Affairs has received no confirmation on the subject, said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi
Meenakashi Lekhi stressed that the SCO nations are bound by one single thought and philosophy which is Buddhism. Lekhi noted that Buddha was born in India and his first sermon everything happened in India.
Pakistan Charge d'Affaires Salman Sharif attended the meeting of heads of Ministries and departments responsible for the development of physical culture and sports of SCO nations.
"This session is just one very clear example of the wonderful role that India is actually playing in bringing all the countries of SCO, or let's say all the countries with the Buddhist heritage together," according to a participant from Pakistan.
During the Tourism Ministers' (TMM) meeting, the Tourism joint action plan on the development of cooperation in Tourism among SCO member countries will be adopted.
Relations between the two countries have been precarious for many years with regard to issues of cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, even as Islamabad has been seeking the restoration of Article 370.
"As one of the active members of the SCO, Pakistan regularly participates in all SCO activities and constructively contributes to their outcomes," Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a statement.