Belarusian, Indian defense ministers discuss peacekeeping under UN aegis

August 23, BPN. Belarusian Defense Minister Viktar Chrenin and his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, on August 23 discussed military cooperation, including on “maintaining international peace and security under the auspices of the United Nations.”

According to the Belarusian defense ministry’s press office, the talks were held in Tashkent ahead of the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) defense ministers.

“️The heads of the Belarusian and Indian defense ministries stressed that there is a significant potential and prospects for the development of practical cooperation. They also expressed interest in strengthening military contacts further,” it said.

The Belarusian ministry said that at the August 24 meeting, SCO member states’ defense leaders will discuss a number of military issues, exchanging views on challenges and threats facing regional and international security, and on ways to neutralize them.

Belarus is an observer in the SCO.

The organization was established in 2001 and comprises eight Eurasian states: China, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Russia.

Belarus applied for SCO membership in July 2022.