India, Pakistan become full members of SCO

India on Friday became a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), ending an administrative process that began two years ago. India’s membership at the SCO was announced by the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who also welcomed Pakistan as a new member into the organisation.

“India and Pakistan are now members of the SCO. It is a very



important moment for us,” President Nazarbayev said, concluding the two-year accession process. New Delhi has acceded to a set of 38 documents covering a range of activities of India in the organisation.

India and Pakistan were admitted as observers in 2005 and began the administrative process of joining the organisation, which began in 2001 in Shanghai, in 2015.