The third meeting of India-Italy Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and Organized Crime was held at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Rome on 1st April 2022.
High-level Indian and Italian officials met to share views, assess domestic, regional and international terrorists threats and discuss bilateral and multilateral cooperation in fighting terrorism and transnational organized crime.
Mr. Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary for Counter Terrorism in the Ministry of External Affairs of India and Mr. Luca Franchetti Pardo, Deputy Director General for Political Affairs/Principal Director for Security in the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led their respective inter departmental /inter agency delegations, which included, on the Italian side, representatives of the Ministries of Justice and the Ministry of Interior-Office for Coordination and Planning of Police Forces with representatives of the four national Police Forces and, on the Indian side, the Ministry of Home Affairs, National Investigation Agency, National Security Council Secretariat, National Security Guard and Department of Revenue.
Both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and shared their experience in preventing and countering terrorism, violent extremism and radicalization, cross border terrorist travel and financing of terrorism. The two sides also recalled their support for a comprehensive approach in preventing and combating terrorism, based on respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, the rule of law and international law, emphasizing the importance of an effective prosecution of those responsible for terrorist acts and condemning all kind of State support to terrorist.
The two delegations exchanged views on the cooperation in multilateral fora, such as the UN, the FATF and the GCTF. They also committed to advancing ongoing negotiations on a number of bilateral agreements in the judicial and police cooperation. The meeting set the path for future joint training and capacity building programs.
The next meeting of the joint working group shall be held in New Delhi in 2023 on a mutually convenient date.
