India has made a strong pitch for its full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, SCO. New Delhi also asserted that it sees a larger role for itself in the security grouping in Afghanistan in the backdrop of the withdrawal of US-led NATO troops from the war-torn country.

Addressing the extended session of the 12th Summit of the SCO in Beijing in China, the External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said that India is keenly interested in participating in the counter-terrorism structure of SCO to combat challenges of extremism. Mr. Krishna spoke about the need for greater cooperation between India and the Regional Anti Terrorist Structure which is currently confined to members of SCO.

Citing the proposed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India,TAPI, pipeline project as an example of energy cooperation between the Regional countries, Mr. Krishna said that energy cooperation is another area of interest to India.

Participating in the Summit as an observer, Mr. Krishna said that India admired the grouping which comprised of China, Russia and Central Asian States of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. India, Pakistan, Mangolia and Iran have the status of observer states. Afghanistan has been admitted as new observer during the summit. Belarus and Sri Lanka are the dialogue partners.

External Affairs Minister SM Krishna will be meeting his Chinese counterpart Yang Jeichi in Beijing today. Mr. Krishna is on a three-day visit to attend the 12th summit by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).