National Security Guards (NSG) is hosting the multinational Joint Anti-Terror Exercise (JATE) ‘Manesar Anti-Terror 2022’, under the framework of SCO RATS, at NSG Manesar Garrison. 

What is SCO RATS?

• Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is one of the permanent organs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and has its headquarters in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. 

• The objective of SCO RATS is to facilitate cooperation and coordination against terrorism, extremism and separatism. 

• India assumed its role as chairperson of the SCO-RATS mechanism in October 2021. 

• The RATS has been very effective in tackling terrorist activities. Under RATS coordination, the authorities of SCO member States have managed to prevent terrorist attacks while still in the planning stages, averted crimes of terrorist and extremist nature, and neutralised terrorist training camps and members of international terrorist organisations.

Functions of SCO RATS:

i) Maintaining working relations with competent institutions of the member states and international organisations tackling issues of fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism.

ii) Assistance in interaction among the member states in preparation and staging of counter-terrorism exercises at the request of concerned member states, preparation and conduct of search operations and other activities in the field of fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism.

iii) Joint drafting of international legal documents concerning the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism.

iv) Gathering and analysis of information coming to the RATS from the member states, formation and filling of RATS data bank.

v) Joint formation of a system of effective response to global challenges and threats.

vi) Preparation and holding of scientific conferences and workshops, assistance in sharing experience in the field of fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism.

Highlights of the exercise:

• JATE is an annual counter-terrorism exercise held within the framework of the SCO RATS.

• The exercise is aimed at exchanging expertise, 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 countering other security threats collectively.

• Stage-1 of the exercise was conducted from July 27 to August 1 by the national counter-terrorism forces of SCO Member Countries in their respective territories. 

• Stage-2 of the exercise is being conducted from October 8-13 at NSG Manesar Garrison, in which eight representatives from counter-terrorism forces of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Russian Federation and NSG of India are participating.

• During the exercise, nuances of planning, preparation and conduct of counter-terrorism operations shall be discussed and deliberated upon. 

• The exercise will be witnessed by four ‘observers’ from executive committee of Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (EC RATS, SCO) and one observer from State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan. 

• The exercise will provide a platform to the participating member countries to enhance their operational capabilities and exchange experience in combating terrorism, separatism and extremism, which are common regional security challenges.

What is the SCO?

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an inter-governmental organisation founded in Shanghai on June 15, 2001. It was founded by the presidents of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

• These countries, except for Uzbekistan, had been members of the Shanghai Five group, formed on April 26, 1996 with the signing of the Treaty on Deepening Military Trust in Border Regions.

• The SCO Charter was signed during the St Petersburg heads of state meeting in June 2002 and entered into force on September 19, 2003. This is the fundamental statutory document which outlines the organisation’s goals and principles, as well as its structure and core activities.

• The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the supreme decision-making body in the SCO. It meets once a year and adopts decisions and guidelines on all important matters of the organisation. 

• The SCO is an influential economic and security bloc and has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations.

Who are the members of SCO?

• The SCO currently comprises eight Member States (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan). 

• SCO is all set for expansion with Iran joining the grouping as its ninth member while Belarus has applied for membership. The decision to admit Iran was made in last year’s Dushanbe summit and Belarus has submitted its application.

• This is the first expansion of the SCO after India and Pakistan were admitted to the grouping in 2017.

• Other observer states interested in acceding to full membership are Afghanistan and Mongolia. There are six dialogue partners — Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey.

• India, Iran and Pakistan were admitted as observers at the 2005 summit. On June 9, 2017, at the historic summit in Astana, India and Pakistan officially joined the SCO as full-fledged members.

• The SCO has two permanent bodies — the SCO Secretariat in Beijing and Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent. 

• The chairmanship of the SCO is by rotation for a year by the Member States.

The SCO’s main goals are:

• Strengthening mutual trust and neighbourliness among the Member States.

• Promoting their effective cooperation in politics, trade, economy, research, technology, culture, education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental protection and other areas.

• Making joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region.

• Moving towards the establishment of a democratic, fair and rational new international political and economic order.

India and the SCO

• India was made an observer at the July 2005 Astana Summit and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping, which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region.

• India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017.

• India has shown keen interest in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence.

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