New Delhi (NVI): India and Russia, while underlining the urgent need for meaningful, credible, irreversible, verifiable and sustainable action against terrorists and terrorist groups, stressed the need for elimination of all ‘safe havens’ of terrorists once and for all.
In a joint statement issued on October 30 after the 11th meeting of the India-Russia Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism here, both countries exchanged views on threats posed by terrorist entities globally and in their respective regions as well as ongoing concerns over terrorism in the South Asia region.
A composite Indian delegation was led by Secretary (East) Vijay Thakur Singh while the Russian delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Oleg V Syromolotov, an MEA statement said.
Both sides while condemning terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, emphasized the “need for strengthening international cooperation to combat terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner without any double standards”.
India and Russia also “highlighted their efforts on some of the world’s most pressing counter terrorism challenges including countering radicalization and extremism, misuse of internet for terrorist purposes, movement of foreign fighters and combating financing of terrorism including drug trafficking,” the statement said.
They deliberated upon measures to further strengthen and deepen counter-terrorism cooperation through intensifying exchange of information, regular meetings at experts’ level, sharing of best practices and capacity building efforts in all areas of mutual interest in accordance with the special and privileged strategic partnership that exists between the two countries.
Both also agreed that united efforts should be made to fight against terrorism and terrorism financing at multilateral forums including the UN, BRICS, FATF and SCO.
Both Russia and India decided to have the next meeting in Russia on a mutually convenient dates.
