US, India reaffirm commitment to cooperation in Quad Counterterrorism Working Group

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 United States and India reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation in the Quad Counterterrorism Working Group and other multilateral fora and processes such as United Nations, the Global Counterterrorism Forum and the Financial Action Task Force for advancing shared security interests within the region while supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient," the release said.

The discussion between the US and India took place at the 20th meeting of the US-India Counter Terrorism Joint Working Group and 6th Designations Dialogue on March 5 in Washington, D.C.

Ambassador Elizabeth Richard, Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the US Department of State, and Ambassador K D Dewal, Joint Secretary of Counter Terrorism at the Union Ministry of External Affairs, led their respective inter-agency delegations.

The two nations emphasised 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," the press release read.

"The participation of delegates from a wide array of departments and agencies from both countries illustrated that the United States and India recognise that countering terrorism requires an inclusive and holistic approach. This approach depends on bilateral coordination between our agencies to ensure productive information sharing and facilitate security, stability, and growth in both countries and throughout the region," it added.

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. (ANI)