Solidarity-2023

In News: India backs China’s plan for joint border activity

• India has supported an initiative by China to conduct a “joint border operation” in 2023 of all member countries of SCO
• The border operation called “Solidarity-2023” will be organised by China
• The Border Security Force (BSF) hosted the 21^st meeting of Experts’ Group and Border Security Conference of SCO countries
• At the meeting participants exchanged information reflecting assessments of the situation on the State borders of the SCO member states, trends and forecasts of its development.
• The results of the Joint Border Operation “Solidarity-2019-2021” carried out in 2021 by the border services of the competent authorities of the SCO member states were discussed and highly appreciated.
• The plan for the preparation and conduct of the Joint Border Operation “Friendship Border – 2022, this year was reviewed and approved.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

• SCO is a permanent intergovernmental international organization.
• It’s a Eurasian political, economic and military organization aiming to maintain peace, security and stability in the region.
• It was created in 2001.
• The SCO Charter was signed in 2002, and entered into force in 2003.
• Founding members: Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan were members of the Shanghai Five.
• Following the accession of Uzbekistan to the organization in 2001, the Shanghai five was renamed the SCO.
• India and Pakistan became members in 2017.

Structure:

• Heads of State Council – The supreme SCO body which decides its internal functioning and its interaction with other States & international organizations
• Heads of Government Council – Approves the budget, considers and decides upon issues related to economic spheres of interaction within SCO.
• Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs – Considers issues related to day-to-day activities.
• Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) – Established to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism.
• SCO Secretariat – Based in Beijing to provide informational, analytical & organizational support.

Official language:

• The official working language of the SCO Secretariat is Russian and Chinese.

Source: The Hindu

Previous Year Questions

Q.1) Consider the following: (2022)

1. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
2. Missile Technology Control Regime
3. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

India is a member of which of the above?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 3 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3