Russia backs India's bid for the Shanghai group

[Shardul.....the lion]

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India will lend more weight and strength the Shanghai regional group when it joins it as a full member, said External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna.

“India has something substantial to offer to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in terms of strengthening the group,” Mr. Krishna said at a joint press conference with his Russian and Chinese counterparts after the 11th trilateral meeting in the RIC format here on Friday.

“India, with its billion-strong population, plays a very important role in the Shanghai regional group, where it has an observer status, and therefore India has expressed the desire to be involved in the organisation much more than it is today,” he added.Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow supported granting full membership to India, as well as to Pakistan, “which has also sent in its application.”

He said the SCO came up for discussion at the current RIC meeting and it was reiterated that the SCO is an “open” organisation.

Mr. Lavrov said the Shanghai group is now finalising legal, organisational and financial aspects of admitting new members. He expressed the hope that all formalities will be completed “in a short time and we can take the decision to admit India and Pakistan.”

Earlier this year, Russian diplomats said the SCO still lacked consensus on the group’s expansion.

Mr. Lavrov said Russia welcomed India’s participation as observer in a range of SCO activities, including the energy club and India’s joining of the SCO anti-terrorist structure, as well as other projects in transportation, new technologies, agriculture, science and education.

“There is no bar to India’s greater involvement in the SCO,” the Russian Foreign Minister said.

The Hindu : News / International : Russia backs India's bid for the Shanghai group

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RIC

first time heard of RIC, RIC apart from BRICS,

RIC can stand for future anti-western stronghold group.

[Ajaxpaul]

SCO will also include Pakistan.

Pakistan will dismiss anything contributed by India..

And India will also do the same...

The Original members of SCO will pull out their hairs in frustration and wind up the group.

[GR!FF!N]

India should try to make a place in ASEAN(anyhow)..not SCO(but if it comes for free...why not???? )...

by the way..India has observer status in SCO..right??same as Pakistan??

[Shardul.....the lion]

SCO will also include Pakistan.

Pakistan will dismiss anything contributed by India..

And India will also do the same...

The Original members of SCO will pull out their hairs in frustration and wind up the group.

It will be like husband wife fighting in a relatives place.

But at the same time India will get extra opportunity to have better trade relations with central asian republics (oil rich nations) and also with russia and china.

May be for peaceful SCO, China is prodding Pakistan to make peace efforts with India

[jai231179]

India should try to make a place in ASEAN(anyhow)..not SCO(but if it comes for free...why not???? )...

by the way..India has observer status in SCO..right??same as Pakistan??

India should definitely be over here in ASEAN! The Indian diaspora here in ASEAN countries, (both current Indian citizens and people of Indian origin) is huge, and we need more nations strong enough over here to counter the rising Chinese threat. And yes, I believe both India and Pakistan have observer status in the SCO.

[Hafizzz]

India should try to make a place in ASEAN(anyhow)..not SCO(but if it comes for free...why not???? )...

by the way..India has observer status in SCO..right??same as Pakistan??

LOL. ASEAN is made up of weak Asian countries whereas SCO has two powerful nations (China and Russia).

[Tshering22]

India should try to make a place in ASEAN(anyhow)..not SCO(but if it comes for free...why not???? )...

by the way..India has observer status in SCO..right??same as Pakistan??

Tell that to the stupid Congress government. These idiots are just living the wet dream of that shytebag called Nehru who nearly handed our (NE) rears to us 50 years ago because of his idiocy. Thanks to the Army, we could hold our ground.

The day you guys kick this UPA regime permanently out of India will be the day you guys save our eastern part of India. Please use your vote against the losers.

[SinoChallenger]

We are an exclusive club. indians are not welcome. Pakistan is welcome.

LOL. ASEAN is made up of weak Asian countries whereas SCO has two powerful nations (China and Russia).

Ah... you are right. india would fit right into ASEAN.

[SpArK]

We are an exclusive club. indians are not welcome. Pakistan is welcome.

Nuke Russia.. Bring Moscow to knees.. Start the engines of war ships... do it nowwwwwwwww...........

[Tapas]

LOL. ASEAN is made up of weak Asian countries whereas SCO has two powerful nations (China and Russia).

By the way, on which side Pakistan is???

[GR!FF!N]

LOL. ASEAN is made up of weak Asian countries whereas SCO has two powerful nations (China and Russia).

you should repeat this sentence in the ear of your Chinese friends..they may give you few "Thank"..

and ASEAN is one of the most important group India should get into..India is trying this for few years now...but still China is playing its "dirty game" to not to give us a membership because then they couldn't bully the smaller nations...but we'll sure get a membership of that club,as our relation with ASEAN countries are improving..they want to bring us to counter China's influence..

[Götterdämmerung]

As long as the border dispute is not settled it will be futile to group China and India together .

Just my

[joekrish]

Its just a matter of time before the other countries hand over the ASEAN membership to counter China.

[GR!FF!N]

As long as the border dispute is not settled it will be futile to group China and India together .

Just my

China and India already in few groups together...but in few groups,China is trying to spread its influence(ASEAN as an e.g.)..by the way..India isn't eager to join SCO much..

[lem34]

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I would love to see Pakistan and India members of SCO but methinks India will have to choose SCO or American. I do not think they will be allowed a foot in both camps