India, Kazakhstan discuss cross-border terrorism in Af-Pak region

India and Kazakhstan held a meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism here on Wednesday, exchanging views on prevailing regional terrorist threats including state-sponsored, cross-border terrorism in the Af-Pak region.

"As strategic partners, India and Kazakhstan held the fourth meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism. Both sides assessed and exchanged views on prevailing terrorist threats in their respective regions including state-sponsored, cross-border terrorism in the Af-Pak region," said an External Affairs Ministry release.

It said that delegations held "useful discussions" on the current challenges posed by various terrorist entities, radicalisation, foreign terrorist fighters, drug trafficking and misuse of cyber space for terrorist purposes.

The Indian delegation was led by Shri Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism) and Kazakhstan delegation by A.D. Smagulov, Ambassador on Special Missions.

The two sides also emphasised the importance of strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation through exchange of information, capacity building, mutual legal assistance, sharing of best practices on countering violent extremism and cooperation in multilateral fora such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

--IANS

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