India-Australia Convened First Joint Steering Committee - (06 Oct 2017)

Civil

The officials of India-Australia met for first Joint Steering Committee on 6th October, 2017. Shri TVSN Prasad, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs from India and Mr. Stephen Bouwhuis, First Assistant Secretary, International and Auscheck Division, Criminal Justice Group, Attorney-General's Department from Australia led the talks alongwith their respective delegation.

The meeting was significant in present scenario of fighting global terrorism. The meeting was infact a follow-up to the Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime exchanged between the India and Australia during the visit of Australian Prime Minister to India and meeting with the Prime Minister of India. Both sides highlighted the ever growing threats of global terrorism and discussed the scope for cooperation in counter-terrorism and checking extremism and radicalization. Also both the Countries also focussed on ways to monitor and check illegal financial transactions and counterfeiting and as well as cybercrimes, problems concerning human trafficking and people smuggling, fighting illegal drug trafficking and sharing information between law enforcement agencies of both countries in this regard to fight these global issues.

The terrorism has become a major issue across the world and India being a major victim of terrorism for decades will play a major role in ways to combat terrorism and its related issues and it can only be done by mutual co-operation between the countries. With this step of exchanging information and ways to tackle the same, the India-Australia will go a long way in effectively dealing with issues discussed in joint meeting. Infact, both the countries also agreed to further pursue agendas for co-operation in specific areas with meetings of operational Joint Working Groups involving concerned agencies. The menace of global terrorism can only be curbed by mutual understanding and co-operation between the countries.

Tags : CO-OPERATION MUTUAL TERRORISM COMBATING