India, US focus on countering use of emerging technologies for terror

Without directly referring to Pakistan, the two sides called for perpetrators of 2008 Mumbai attacks and 2016 attack in Pathankot to be brought to justice.

NEW DELHI:  India and the US explored ways to share information and build capacities to counter emerging threats in terrorism, such as the use of the internet and new technologies for terrorist purposes and terror financing, at a meeting in Washington.

India and the US sought concerted action against all terror groups, including entities proscribed by the UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee (FILE)

Without directly referring to Pakistan, the two sides called for the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the 2016 terror attack on the Pathankot airbase to be brought to justice. The assault on Mumbai was carried out by terrorists from Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) while the Pathankot attack was blamed on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), another group based in the neighbouring country.

The meeting of the bilateral counterterrorism joint working group was held alongside the designations dialogue, which focuses on joint efforts to sanction terrorist individuals and entities at multilateral forums, in the US capital on Tuesday.

KD Dewal, joint secretary (counterterrorism) in the external affairs ministry and Elizabeth Richard, coordinator for counterterrorism at the US State Department, led the two inter-agency delegations at the meeting, according to a joint statement issued on Wednesday.

This was the 20th meeting of the group, which was established in 2000.

India and the US sought concerted action against all terror groups, including entities proscribed by the UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee, such as al Qaeda, Islamic State, LeT and JeM. They also exchanged information regarding priorities and procedures for designating various terrorist entities and individuals.

The two sides reviewed emerging threats and tactics in terrorism, including the use of the internet and new and emerging technologies for terror, international movement of terrorists, terrorist recruitment, financing of terror activities and radicalisation to violence and violent extremism. They “committed to information sharing, capacity building and continued bilateral and multilateral efforts to address these threats”, the joint statement said.

India and the US also committed to strengthen law enforcement and judicial partnerships in support of rule of law, including through information-sharing and enhanced cooperation on mutual legal assistance requests.

The two sides also agreed to cooperate in the Quad counterterrorism working group and other multilateral forums such as the UN, Global Counter-Terrorism Forum (GCTF) and Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to advance shared security interests within the region while supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient, the joint statement said.

While emphasising the “extraordinary value” of the India-US comprehensive global and strategic partnership, the two sides renewed their commitment to countering terrorism and promoting regional security as an integral part of their broader bilateral cooperation.

India and the US have dramatically deepened their strategic and security ties in recent years. Recently initiatives have focused on the joint development of military hardware, including jet engines and armoured vehicles, and they have established the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), a framework for collaborating on cutting-edge technologies.

Both sides reiterated that terrorism remains a “serious threat” to international security and said countering terrorism is an important element in ensuring prosperity and peace for Indians, Americans and global citizens.

The participation of delegates from an array of departments and agencies from both countries showed that the two sides recognise that countering terrorism requires an inclusive and holistic approach. This approach depends on bilateral coordination between agencies to ensure productive information-sharing and facilitate security, stability and growth.

Sameer Patil, senior fellow with the Observer Research Foundation, said there is a convergence of interests between India and the US in terms of the threat landscape, though they differ on their approach to specific terror groups. “The approach towards Hamas is one such example. Notwithstanding these differences, India and the US have intensified their cooperation on Pakistan-based anti-India terror groups,” he said.