Tashkent, Mar 26 (IANS): The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) discussed regional security, countering terrorism, separatism and extremism in the member countries, the SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO RATS) said.

At a meeting held in the Uzbek capital Tashkent on Friday, the SCO member countries approved India's proposal to hold on its territory this year a joint anti-terror drill of the competent authorities of the SCO member states, Xinhua news agency quoted SCO RATS as saying in a statement.

The SCO RATS Council meeting was attended by representatives of its member countries - India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, according to the statement.

The SCO RATS Council also supported the proposal of Kazakhstan to conduct a joint border operation "Friendship Border - 2022", it said.

The parties exchanged views on the level of interaction between the competent authorities of the member states, and identified joint measures to respond to modern challenges and threats to security from international terrorist organisations, the statement said.

An agreement was reached to hold the next meeting of the SCO RATS Council on October 14 in New Delhi, it added.