New Delhi: India and Russia have agreed to strengthen bilateral counterterrorism cooperation, with a renewed focus on emerging threats in the Afghanistan-Pakistan (AfPak) region and Central Asia. The commitment was reaffirmed at the 14th meeting of the India-Russia Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism (JWGCT), held in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The meeting was co-chaired by India’s secretary (West), Sibi George, and Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Dmitry Lyubinski. Both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms, saying there can be no justification for terrorist acts regardless of motive or perpetrator.
The two countries agreed to strengthen intelligence-sharing and operational coordination to tackle radicalization, terror financing and the growing misuse of drones and digital platforms by terrorist groups. The discussions also covered cross-border terrorism in the AfPak region and Central Asia, including concerns over the Islamic State’s presence and its potential to spread further in the region.
Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to coordinate positions on counterterrorism in multilateral forums, including the United Nations, BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG CMLFT). This kind of multilateral coordination is seen as increasingly important given the rise of new-age threats like drone warfare and online radicalization.
The JWG has functioned as the main bilateral forum for India-Russia counterterrorism cooperation since it was set up under a memorandum of understanding signed during a visit to India by Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, in December 2002. Wednesday’s meeting reflects the continuing importance both countries place on security cooperation beyond defence deals, at a time of growing instability in Afghanistan and rising concern over terrorist networks and new technologies in the region.