New Delhi: Cooperation in counterterrorism, narcotics trafficking and unlawful immigration figured in India-US senior officers’ homeland safety dialogue on Wednesday, with the 2 sides signing a memorandum of cooperation on regulation enforcement coaching.

The two sides reviewed ongoing work in counter-terrorism and safety, which a readout from the Union dwelling ministry described as a “key pillar” of the bilateral strategic partnership. They mentioned steps that may be taken to bolster bilateral efforts to fight terror, violent extremism, drug trafficking and organised crime.

The dialogue concluded with signing a memorandum of cooperation on regulation enforcement coaching between the US Federal Law Enforcement Training Centre and India’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy.

People accustomed to the matter mentioned on situation of anonymity that discussions targeted on US efforts to limit entry to fentanyl, the highly effective artificial opioid linked to a pointy rise in drug overdose deaths within the United States.

Following the launch final month of a US-China counter-narcotics working group to curb the manufacturing and commerce of fentanyl, Washington is seeking to work with different key companions to chop off entry to unlawful provides of the opioid for international drug cartels.

The folks mentioned Mexican drug cartels might flip to India, with its in depth pharmaceutical business, as a attainable supply of fentanyl, and cooperation might take a look at joint monitoring of the availability of the lab-made drug. They acknowledged that India already has a superb monitoring system, and the joint work will search to construct on this. In this context, the 2 sides need to finalise a memorandum of cooperation on countering narcotics trafficking.

During the dialogue, the 2 sides checked out methods to hurry up the tackling of unlawful migration, particularly within the context of Mexico, Salvador and India rising as the highest three supply international locations for such migrants, the folks mentioned. One of the measures being checked out to sort out this situation is sharing biometric data since many unlawful migrants do away with their journey paperwork, the folks mentioned.

The situation of dealing with the instances of all unlawful migrants, together with detention and deportation, inside 30 days additionally figured within the talks, the folks mentioned. At the identical time, the 2 sides have additionally taken steps to facilitate journey by holders of visas such the H-1B and their households, the folks mentioned.

The Indian readout mentioned the 2 sides reaffirmed their dedication to strengthening people-to-people ties by taking steps to allow secure and authorized migration and to counter unlawful migration and human trafficking.

Cyber-security was one other essential factor of the dialogue, particularly measures to counter phishing assaults and calls for for cyber ransom from non-public firms and to alternate data on the actions of felony gangs, the folks mentioned. The Indian readout mentioned the 2 sides mentioned methods to counter cash laundering, cyber-crimes and misuse of the cyber area for unlawful actions, together with terror financing.

The situation of Nikhil Gupta, the Indian nationwide named in a US indictment over an alleged plot to kill Khalistani chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil, didn’t determine within the dialogue. Gupta was detained within the Czech Republic final June and has challenged a Czech court docket’s order clearing his extradition to the US.

The US indictment alleged that an Indian authorities worker ordered the assassination of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) chief Pannun in New York. The SFJ has been outlawed by India and Pannun was declared a terrorist.

The Indian facet on the dialogue was led by dwelling secretary Ajay Bhalla, and the US delegation was headed by Kristie Canegallo, performing deputy secretary within the division of homeland safety. They reiterated their curiosity in consolidating collaboration between regulation enforcement businesses via alternate of knowledge, capability constructing, technical help and common conferences of sub-groups arrange beneath the India-US Homeland Security Dialogue.

Both sides agreed to carry the following spherical of the senior officers’ dialogue in Washington.