India, Russia reaffirm commitment to strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation

During the 12th India-Russia Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter Terrorism, which was held in Moscow on May 3, 2023, India and Russia reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing their cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts in both bilateral and multilateral platforms, the Ministry of External Affairs MEA said on Friday (May 5, 2023).

Additionally, both sides shared their experiences in combating terrorism and extremism and discussed current terrorist threats at the global and regional level.

According to the MEA, the Russian side expressed appreciation for India’s role as Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the UN Security Council in 2022 and welcomed the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration that had focussed on combating the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes.

The JWG was co-chaired by Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) in MEA, and Oleg Syromolotov, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Representatives from relevant departments and agencies of both countries also participated in the meeting.

In addition to the JWG on Counter Terrorism, India and Russia also held bilateral consultations on UN-related issues on May 4, 2023. These consultations were co-chaired by Secretary (West) Verma and Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Vershinin.

Both sides held wide ranging discussions on several issues pertaining to the UNSC, including its reform. Russia reiterated its support for India as a permanent member in a reformed UN Security Council, the MEA said.