India & UK agree to further deepen their cooperation in combating terrorism

Meeting in New Delhi for the 16th meeting of the India-United Kingdom Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism on Wednesday (May 22, 2024), India and the United Kingdom agreed to further deepen their cooperation in combating terrorism. 

According to information shared by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), they also discussed the proscription of individual terrorists and entities as a crucial tool in the fight against terrorism and explored ways to collaborate more effectively in multilateral forums. This cooperation aims to ensure that both countries can respond more robustly to the evolving threats posed by terrorism.

The meeting was co-chaired by K.D. Dewal, Joint Secretary for Counter Terrorism in the Ministry of External Affairs of India, and Chris Felton, Head of Counter Terrorism Network for Asia and Oceania from the Government of the United Kingdom.

India and the UK strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the cross-border movement of terrorists, and emphasised the need for strengthening international cooperation to combat terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner, in accordance with the UN charter and international law.

The two sides shared their assessment of the terrorist and extremist threats in their respective territories and regions including threats posed by globally sanctioned terrorist entities and individuals. 

"The two sides also exchanged views on the proscription of individual terrorists and entities as a tool to combat terrorism, as well as ways of working together in multilateral forums," the MEA said.

The meeting covered a broad range of counter-terrorism challenges, including:

* Countering Radicalization and Violent Extremism.

* Combating Financing of Terrorism.

* Preventing Exploitation of New and Emerging Technologies.

* Law Enforcement and Judicial Cooperation.

* Aviation and Maritime Security.

In addition to these specific challenges, the meeting underscored the importance of strengthening and deepening bilateral cooperation to address shared counter-terrorism challenges effectively. Both sides agreed to continue working together on various fronts, including intelligence sharing, capacity building, and joint operations.

The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the commitment to further strengthen and deepen bilateral cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts. It was agreed that the 17th India-UK Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism would be held in the United Kingdom at a mutually convenient date. This upcoming meeting will provide an opportunity to review progress and set new goals for collaboration.