Prelim Bits 12-06-2019

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), or Shanghai Pact is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance.
• China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are the founding members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
• India and Pakistan joined SCO as full members in 2017 at a summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.
• The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the supreme decision-making body in the SCO, it meets once a year and adopts decisions and guidelines on all important matters of the organization.
• Military exercises are also regularly conducted among members to promote cooperation and coordination against terrorism and other external threats, and to maintain regional peace and stability.
• The SCO is widely regarded as the "alliance of the East", due to its growing centrality in Asia-Pacific, and has been the primary security pillar of the region.

Regional Anti-Terror Structure (RATS)

• Regional Antiterrorism Structure (RATS) was established by SCO member nations in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 2004.
• RATS aims to fight cross-border crimes like drug tariffing and cyber warfare under the counter-terrorism rubric.
• India has been participating in tactical drills and counter-terror cooperation with other SCO member countries under the RATS.
• India joined Pakistan in a tactical military exercise under the SCO’s RATS in 2018.

FATF

• The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 by the Ministers of its Member jurisdictions. 
• The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. 
• The FATF is, therefore, a “policy-making body” which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas.
• The FATF has developed a series of recommendations that are recognized as the international standard for combating of money laundering and the financing of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. 
• First issued in 1990, the FATF Recommendations were revised in 1996, 2001, 2003 and most recently in 2012 to ensure that they remain up to date and relevant, and they are intended to be of universal application.
• The FATF's decision-making body, the FATF Plenary, meets three times per year. 
• India is a member of FATF.

Asia Pacific Group APG

• Asia Pacific Group (APG) on Money Laundering is an inter-governmental organization.
• APG is working to implement international standards for the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing in the Asia Pacific region.
• The Asia Pacific Group (APG) is an evolution of the FATF-Asia Secretariat, which was originally formed in 1995.
• In 1997, the APG was established with 13 founding members and a goal to ensure AML compliance across the region later that goal expanded to include countering terrorist financing.
• The APG’s activities are supported and coordinated by its Secretariat, headquartered in Sydney, Australia.
• India is a member of APG.

National Data Warehouse

• Ministry of Statistical Programme and Implementation has proposed to set up National Data Warehouse.
• National Data Warehouse will leverage big data analytical tools to further improve the quality of macro-economic aggregates.

Defense Space Research Agency (DSRO)

• Cabinet Committee on Security has approved to set up new agency called Defense Space Research Agency (DSRO).
• The agency will be entrusted with the task of creating space warfare weapon systems and technologies.
• The agency would be providing the research and development support to the Defense Space Agency (DSA) which comprises members of the three services.
• The DSA has been created to help the country fight wars in the space.
• The Defense Space Agency is being set up in Bengaluru under an Air Vice Marshal-rank officer and will gradually take over the space-related capabilities of the three forces.

Source: PIB, the Hindu