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Rajnath Singh attends SCO defence ministers' meeting in Dushanbe
Why in News?
Rajnath in Dushanbe: the SCO Council of Defence Ministers, and the Central Asia connectivity facts GS-II tests
Rajnath Singh meets Tajikistan's defence minister on the sidelines of the SCO meeting.
Why it matters: factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 min read
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Dushanbe, Tajikistan, for the 25th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's Council of Defence Ministers.
He held a productive discussion with his Tajik counterpart on the sidelines, covering trade, regional economic cooperation and connectivity.
Sources: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
Key facts
Remember these
- Rajnath Singh attended the 25th meeting of the SCO Council of Defence Ministers in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
- On the sidelines he held talks with Tajikistan's defence minister on trade, regional economic cooperation and connectivity.
- The SCO was founded in 2001 (Shanghai Five evolved into it); India became a full member in 2017 along with Pakistan.
- The SCO Secretariat is in Beijing and its Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is based in Tashkent.
- Tajikistan is landlocked Central Asia, bordering Afghanistan, China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is a permanent intergovernmental organisation whose secretariat is in Beijing.
- India became a full member of the SCO in 2017, together with Pakistan.
- Tajikistan shares a border with Afghanistan and China, and is part of Central Asia.
Mains
GS-II: India's engagement with international groupings and Central Asia. Issue: India lacks direct land access to Central Asia, and the SCO is a forum for security and connectivity talks. Policy: the Connect Central Asia policy, INSTC and Chabahar are the routes, and bilateral meetings on the sidelines deepen defence and economic ties. Implication and way forward: India should pair SCO diplomacy with bilateral projects and counter-terrorism cooperation while safeguarding its stand on sovereignty in connectivity initiatives.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
The permanent secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is located in:
- Riyadh
- Abu Dhabi
- Jeddah
- Doha
Show answer
Answer: C — The correct answer is Jeddah. The OIC secretariat is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; India has often rejected the bloc's statements on Jammu and Kashmir.
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