Russia supports India's membership in APEC, SCO

Reflecting its close ties with India, Russia is pushing for the country's inclusion in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation to enhance the effectiveness of the regional grouping and is also supporting New Delhi's full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

A joint declaration adopted at the end of the summit talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia supported India's full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

India is currently an observer in this grouping and Singh had participated in its meeting at Yekaterinburg in Russia in June this year.

"The Russian side supports India's full membership in the SCO," the declaration said. "The Russian side appreciates the level of representation at the level of prime minister from India at the summit meeting of the SCO at Yekaterinburg," it said.

Russia also voiced confidence that 'engagement' of India in the APEC will enhance capacity-building and effectiveness of its mechanism and encourage enhanced trade and investment cooperation in the region.

"Russia supports India's membership in the APEC and will work towards lifting the moratorium on expanding APEC's membership," the joint declaration said.

Russia's push for India's membership in APEC and SCO comes on the back of Russia's fresh backing for India to become a permanent member in an expanded UN Security Council.

"Russia considers India a deserving and strong candidate for a permanent seat in an an expanded Security Council," the joint declaration said.

APEC is a forum of 21 Pacific Rim countries, including Australia, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the US, and its main objective is to enhance economic growth and prosperity in the region and to strengthen the Asia-Pacific community.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is an intergovernmental mutual-security organisation set up by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan in 2001 in Shanghai.