U.S. to collaborate with India on developing global approach to combat terrorism

The United States has pledged to collaborate with India on developing a global approach to combat increasing terror threats.

After the India-US Homeland Security Dialogue in Washington, a joint communique said the two countries have also agreed to enhance bilateral co-operation to combat terror financing and currency counterfeiting.

Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde led a high-powered Indian delegation for the dialogue. These dialogues followed President Barack Obama's visit to India in November 2010, and are part of an ongoing process to further a global strategic partnership between the United States and India.

In a statement after the conclusion of the talks, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said, terror threats today transcend national borders, impacting security and economic prosperity of the entire international community.

During the meeting, Napolitano and Shinde reaffirmed the commitment to, and importance of, bilateral homeland security cooperation between the United States and India on common challenges faced such as terrorism, and countering violent extremism.

Napolitano and Shinde also reaffirmed the commitment of the two nations to enhancing bilateral cooperation to ensure mutual security and combat common threats, including through the collaboration of law enforcement agencies, improving bilateral cooperation including the development and application of innovative technology, combating the flow of illicit finances and currency counterfeiting, and to working closely in countering terrorism and promoting cyber security.

They also agreed to enhance cooperation between U.S. and Indian officials in appropriate multilateral fora in these areas. The Secretary and the Minister called upon all nations to take effective steps to work toward eliminating sanctuaries and infrastructure that supports terrorism, and to increase efforts to counter violent extremism.

Both leaders expressed satisfaction with progress made and endorsed areas of further engagement in each of the Homeland Security Dialogue Sub-Groups, namely: (a) Megacities Policing; (b) Combating Illicit Finance, Bulk Cash Smuggling, and Counterfeiting; (c) Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection; (d) Port, Border, Maritime, Transportation and Supply Chain Security; (e) Science and Technology Cooperation; and (f) Capacity Building.

In advancing the goals of these subgroups, the United States and India endeavour to enhance cyber security and critical infrastructure protection engagement; hold a series of training courses on countering illicit financing through DHS's Cross Border Financial Investigations Training Program; organize a conference on the best practices and lessons learned in the context of megacities policing within the next year; and to identify areas in which the United States and India can work together on science and technology development and itsapplication in the homeland security context.

The U.S. and India will explore areas in which to share best practices and lessons learned by both countries on how to enhance the ability of federal, state and local police to better detect, prevent and respond to acts of violent extremism including a focus on how the Internet is used to recruit or facilitate these types of attacks.

Napolitano and Shinde also endorsed pursuing a robust, bilaterally-developed schedule of events and collaborative activities with the goal of meeting the security needs of both countries.

They also reiterated that, in the spirit of friendship and respect, the United States and India will continue to maintain a regular dialogue on homeland security issues.