India's new envoy to China Rawat meets SCO Secretary-General

India's new Ambassador to China Pradeep K Rawat on Tuesday met the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Zhang Ming here and discussed various initiatives proposed by India and the country's upcoming presidency of the eight-member grouping.

Ambassador Pradeep K. Rawat met SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming today, the Indian Embassy here tweeted.

Both the officials discussed in detail "India's initiatives in the SCO including #Startups & #Innovation, #Traditional Medicine as well India's upcoming SCO Presidency 2022-23," it added.

India has proposed new initiatives for cooperation in areas like startups and innovation and traditional medicine among the SCO member states.

India is due to take over the presidency of the SCO organisation from September this year. Currently, Uzbekistan is holding the chair of the organisation.

Rawat, who was previously India's Ambassador to the Netherlands, took charge of his posting in China this month.

Chinese diplomat Zhang took charge as the new Secretary-General of the SCO in January this year. He succeeded Vladimir Norov, former Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan.

The Beijing-headquartered SCO is an eight-member economic and security bloc which has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations.

The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the Presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017.

The SCO also has four Observer states - Iran, Mongolia, Belarus and Afghanistan and six dialogue partners - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey and Sri Lanka.