Team Blitz India
The United States and India have reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation in the Quad Counter terrorism Working Group and other multilateral forums for advancing shared security interests within the region while supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific. Both sides also exchanged information regarding procedures for designating various terrorist entities/groups and individuals, the US State Department said in an official press release.
The discussion took place at the 20th meeting of the US-India Counter Terrorism Joint Working Group and 6th Designations Dialogue in Washington, D.C. Ambassador Elizabeth Richard, Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the US Department of State, and Ambassador KD Dewal, Joint Secretary of Counter- Terrorism at the Union Ministry of External Affairs, led their respective delegations.
The two nations laid emphasis on the extraordinary value and durability of the comprehensive US-India global and strategic partnership and renewed their commitments to countering terrorism and promoting regional security as an integral part of their broader bilateral cooperation.
“Both sides reiterated that terrorism remains a serious threat to international peace and security. Countering terrorism remains an important element in ensuring prosperity and peace for Americans, Indians, and global citizens,” a press release read.
Emerging threats and tactics in terrorism, including the use of the Internet and new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes were also reviewed.
The two sides committed to information sharing, capacity building and continued bilateral and multilateral efforts to address these threats, it said. The United States and India called for the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot terrorist attacks to be brought to justice.
They also called for concerted action against all terrorist groups, including groups proscribed by the United Nations Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee, such as al-Qaida, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).
The two sides committed to strengthening law enforcement and judicial partnerships in support of the rule of law, including through information sharing and enhanced cooperation on mutual legal assistance requests.
