India and Italy reiterated their commitment to combat terrorism and organized crime during the 5th meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Combating Terrorism and Organized Crime held in Rome on 16-17 January.
The meeting was co-chaired by K.D., Joint Secretary for Countering Terrorism in the Ministry of External Affairs of India. Deval and Alessandro Azzoni, Senior Deputy Director of Political Affairs and Director of Security at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
‘It is necessary to stop misuse of technology by terrorist groups’
The discussions focused on emerging threats in the domestic, regional and international arenas, with an emphasis on addressing the misuse of technology by terrorist groups. Both sides shared experiences in countering these challenges and highlighted the importance of prosecuting individuals responsible for terrorist activities.
Next meeting will be held in Delhi
The meeting also stressed the need for mutual cooperation in multilateral fora like the United Nations, Global Counter-Terrorism Forum (GCTF) and Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The progress of existing bilateral agreements was also reviewed, highlighting the need to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries.
In an important event, the Indian delegation visited the Inter-Agency Law Enforcement Academy in Caserta, Italy, to explore opportunities for capacity building and collaboration with Indian counterparts. The talks ended with a mutual agreement to hold the next JWG meeting in Delhi.