India, France step up counter-terrorism cooperation at 17th Joint Working Group meeting in Paris
Paris, September 13. India and France reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation during the 17th meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter Terrorism, held in Paris on September 11.
The Indian delegation was led by KD Dewal, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism) in the Ministry of External Affairs, while the French side was headed by Olivier Caron, France’s Counter-Terrorism Ambassador.
Both countries strongly condemned the April 22 terrorist attack on civilians in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and exchanged assessments on the evolving terror landscape, including state-sponsored cross-border terrorism, regional threats, and the situation in the Middle East.
The talks also addressed emerging challenges such as radicalisation, extremism, and the misuse of new technologies by terrorist groups. Emphasis was placed on intensifying bilateral and multilateral cooperation, particularly in capacity-building, training, and exercises, as well as within frameworks such as the United Nations, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and the No Money for Terror (NMFT) initiative.
Expanding the scope of collaboration, the two sides agreed to step up joint efforts against organised crime, online propaganda, and cyber-related threats. They also committed to enhancing information exchange and sharing best practices.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to convene the 18th edition of the India-France JWG on Counter Terrorism in India at a mutually convenient date.
