News Highlight
The National Security Guard (NSG) is hosting the multinational Joint Anti-Terror Exercise (JATE), “Manesar Anti-Terror 2022”.
Key Takeaway
- Manesar Anti-Terror 2022 is an Anti-Terror Exercise under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) framework.
Manesar Anti-terror 2022.
- About:
- The National Security Guard (NSG) holds a multinational joint anti-terror exercise (JATE) campus at Manesar in Gurugram.
- Aims and objectives:
- The exercise aims to exchange expertise and best practices and build synergy between the Counter Terrorism Forces of the SCO RATS Member Countries to enhance capabilities for conducting Anti-Terrorist operations and collectively countering other security threats.
Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS)
- About:
- It is a permanent body of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
- It promotes coordination and interaction between the SCO member states in the fight against terrorism, extremism, and separatism.
- Base:
- RATS is based in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
- About:
- It is a permanent inter-governmental international organisation of the Eurasian Nations with a secretariat in Beijing.
- Foundation:
- Its creation was announced in 2001 in Shanghai (China) by
- Kazakhstan
- China
- Kyrgyz Republic
- Russian Federation
- The Republic of Tajikistan
- Republic of Uzbekistan
- Its creation was announced in 2001 in Shanghai (China) by
- Aims and objectives:
- It aims at maintaining peace, security and stability in the region.
- Members:
- Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan.
- India and SCO:
- India and Pakistan both were initially observer states.
- However, both were given full membership in 2017.
- Language:
- The SCO’s official languages are Russian and Chinese.
Significance of SCO to India
- Market access:
- The SCO can be used as a route to access the markets of the member countries and other Central Asian countries for India’s information technology, telecommunication, banking, and pharmaceutical industries.
- Energy security:
- The Central Asian Regions (CAR) and Russia is richly endowed with vital mineral and natural resources.
- Interacting and expansion of the SCO will ensure the energy security of India.
- Potential Free Trade Agreement(FTA):
- The members can work together to formulate a Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union.
- It will enhance India’s export potential and reduce the Current Account deficit (CAD).
- Project push:
- India’s pending energy projects include the TAPI pipeline (The Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India) and IPI (Iran-Pakistan_India) pipeline.
- These projects are stalled due to Pakistan and solving these issues amicably using the SCO platform.
- Connect Central Asia Policy:
- India aims at political, security, economic and cultural connections with Central Asian Countries.
- It is also in line with India’s principle of “Extended Neighbourhood.”
Content Source: The Hindu