India, Italy to Expand Counter-Terror Cooperation
India and Italy strengthen counter-terrorism ties at key meet in Rome
By R Anil Kumar
-
India and Italy have reaffirmed their commitment to combating terrorism and organised crime
-
The 5th meeting of the India-Italy Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter Terrorism and Organized Crime was held on 16-17 January 2025 in Rome, Italy
-
The meeting was Co-chaired by K.D. Dewal, Joint Secretary for Counter Terrorism in the Ministry of External Affairs, from the Indian side and Alessandro Azzoni, Senior Deputy Director for Political Affairs and Director for Security at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from the Italian side
-
The two sides discussed emerging domestic, regional and international terrorist threats and exchanged views on a wide range of areas of cooperation in counter terrorism and transnational organized crime
Rome, Italy. India and Italy have recently agreed to enhance their cooperation in counter-terrorism and organized crime, a decision that emerged from the 5th Meeting of the India-Italy Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and Organized Crime held on January 16-17, 2025, in Rome.
This meeting was co-chaired by K.D. Dewal, Joint Secretary for Counter Terrorism from India, and Alessandro Azzoni, Senior Deputy Director for Political Affairs from Italy.
Both nations addressed various domestic, regional, and international terrorist threats and shared insights on combating these challenges effectively.
There was a significant focus on countering the misuse of technology for terrorist purposes, highlighting the need for collaboration in preventing and mitigating such threats.
The discussions also revolved around enhancing judicial cooperation and the prosecution of individuals responsible for terrorist acts, as well as advancing ongoing negotiations on bilateral agreements related to security.
India and Italy reaffirmed their commitment to work together in multilateral forums such as the UN and FATF to combat terrorism globally.
This strategic partnership reflects a broader commitment by both countries to bolster their defences against terrorism and organized crime through shared expertise and collaborative efforts.
Outcome of 5th Meeting of India-Italy Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and Organized Crime:
The 5th meeting of the India-Italy Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter Terrorism and Organized Crime was held on 16-17 January 2025 in Rome, Italy.
The meeting was Co-chaired by Mr. K.D. Dewal, Joint Secretary for Counter Terrorism in the Ministry of External Affairs, from the Indian side and Mr. Alessandro Azzoni, Senior Deputy Director for Political Affairs and Director for Security at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from the Italian side.
The two sides discussed emerging domestic, regional and international terrorist threats and exchanged views on a wide range of areas of cooperation in counter terrorism and transnational organized crime.
Recognizing the need for enhancing cooperation for effectively countering the misuse of technology for terrorist purposes, the two sides shared experience in preventing and mitigating the menace. They also stressed the importance of an effective prosecution of those responsible for terrorist acts.
The dialogue between the two strategic partner countries re-affirmed commitment to strengthen cooperation in the multilateral fora, including in the UN, GCTF and FATF. The two sides also discussed ways and means to advance the ongoing negotiations on various bilateral agreements.
The Indian delegation also visited and met officials of Inter-agency Law Enforcement Academy in Caserta, Italy and discussed strengthening of capacity building measures between the Academy and the counterpart organization in India.
Both sides agreed to hold the next meeting of the joint working group in Delhi on a mutually convenient date.
