India to become permanent SCO member, Putin tells Modi

Pakistan is also expected to become a full member of the group along with India

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday India's accession into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has begun.

"We are beginning the process of full-fledged inclusion of India into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation," Putin told Modi during talks in the Russian city of Ufa.

Read: Pakistan, India to start process of joining China security bloc

To this, Modi responded, "Under your [Putin's] leadership in BRICS, India has become a member of SCO. I am very grateful."

Pakistan is also expected to be inducted as a full member of the group along with India.

Read: Putin tells India's Modi will try yoga

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ufa, Russia, July 8, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will also be attending the summit which started today and is expected to meet his Indian counterpart on the sidelines of the summit.

Read: Nawaz and Modi likely to meet on July 10

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) groups China, Russia and the former Soviet republics of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, while India, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Mongolia are observers.

This article originally appeared on Times of India.