ISLAMABAD: From October 8 to 13, India’s Haryana state will host the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) exercises for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).The SCO RATS council meeting on October 14 in Delhi will also be attended by Islamabad.
After the SCO was moved to India till 2023, Pakistani officials would make several trips to India to attend various events, unlike in the previous past during the tense relations.India replaced Uzbekistan as the SCO’s president, which it had held since the organization’s most recent conference.
The Shanghai Convention on Countering Terrorism, Separatism, and Extremism, the SCO Charter, the SCO Member States’ Agreement on the RATS, and other documents and decisions established within the SCO framework all govern how RATS operates.
Asim Ali, director general of the ministry of foreign affairs, will attend at least three of the events being held in India in October. A seven-person delegation will be led by Rai Muhammad Tahir, National Coordinator for the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta).
The multinational counter terrorism drills will be held in India, the Foreign Office official had already announced.Yes, SCO RATS drills will take place in Manesar in October, the official responded, adding that Pakistan will take part as a member state.The regional organisation, which also consists of China, Russia, and Central Asian Republics, comprises Pakistan and India (CARs).
While Pakistani and Indian military contingents have previously participated in counter terrorism training exercises, this will be the first time Pakistan will go to India to participate in such exercises.India had previously sent observers to a RATS exercise that was taking place in Pakistan.
