Russia is interested in India’s active participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), informed Russian Ambassador to New Delhi Denis Alipov in an interview with Izvestia.
“We would welcome more active and close interaction of the republic with this organization,” Alipov said.
At the same time, the most successful platform for in-depth cooperation between Russia and India is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the ambassador noted.
India is showing great interest in cooperation with Russia in Central Asia. For Indians, this region is of great importance because of the threats from Afghanistan, where the situation remains unstable, Alipov said.
The CSTO includes Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. According to Art. 4 of the Treaty, the participants in the organization must immediately provide assistance to the state that has been attacked from outside, including military assistance.
If there is a threat to the security, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty of one of the countries, the CSTO members launch a mechanism of joint consultations to coordinate their positions, develop and take measures to provide assistance.
India joined the SCO along with Pakistan in 2017. The organization consists of Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The organization is aimed at strengthening trust and good neighborliness between countries, promoting cooperation, jointly ensuring and maintaining peace, security and stability in the region.