Ufa (Russia): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India will help develop infrastructure in the Central Asian region.

"Our ties with Central Asia are very old," Modi said while addressing the 15th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit here.

"India will be pleased to contribute to the development of infrastructure in the region," he said.

The prime minister noted that India has been "actively participating in SCO activities that are open to observers".

"Our membership of SCO is a natural extension of these relationships and mirrors the region's place in India's future," he said.

SCO leaders are set to pass a resolution on starting the procedures to grant India and Pakistan full membership of the organisation.

Founded in 2001, the SCO has China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as its full members.

(IANS)