External AffairsMinister Sushma Swaraj will attend a two-day meeting of the ShanghaiCooperation Organisation (SCO), beginning Tuesday, in Kyrgyz capital Bishkek,during which several pressing issues including thread of terrorism are expectedto be discussed.

The External Affairs Ministry said the Councilof Foreign Ministers (CFM) will exchange views on topical issues ofinternational and regional importance, besides reviewing the preparation forthe SCO Summit in Bishkek from June 13-14.

"External AffairsMinister Sushma Swaraj will be representing India in the meeting of Council ofForeign Ministers (CFM) of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to be held inBishkek on May 21-22," it said. India became a full member of theChina-dominated grouping in 2017 and New Delhi's entry has increased the bloc'sheft in regional geo-politics, besides giving it a pan-Asian hue.

India is also keen ondeepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its RegionalAnti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which specifically deals with issues relatingto security and defence.

Along with India,Pakistan was also granted SCO membership in 2017. The SCO was founded at asummit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic,Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.