The two sides reviewed ongoing cooperation during the US-India Homeland Security Dialogue

Senior officials from India and the US have decided to explore opportunities and synergies in advancing cooperation in counter-terrorism and cyber security.

This was among the issues discussed at the Senior Officers Meeting of the India-US Homeland Security Dialogue held on Wednesday in virtual mode, said a statement of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

The meeting was co-chaired by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy and Plans, Department of Homeland Security, Government of USA, Robert Silvers.

The meeting was also attended by other senior officials of both the countries, the statement added.

During the meeting, both sides reviewed the ongoing cooperation and identified further steps that can be taken to explore opportunities and synergies in advancing cooperation in counter-terrorism, cyber security, securing critical infrastructure and global supply chains, maritime security, aviation security, customs enforcement and trade security, among other issues, it stated.

Both sides agreed that the existing sub-groups under the Homeland Security Dialogue on law enforcement engagement, securing global supply chains, aviation security, investigative cooperation, and capacity building and training would meet separately in the coming months to deliberate and explore how ongoing cooperation can be strengthened further, the statement said.

The two sides expressed satisfaction with the ongoing partnership and agreed to deepen bilateral engagement and collaboration in all areas of mutual concern.

The two sides look forward to holding the Ministerial-level Homeland Security Dialogue later this year, the statement added.

It may be recalled that India and the US had agreed to re-establish the US-India Homeland Security Dialogue in March last year.

This was after a discussion on March 22, 2021 between India’s Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu and US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N Mayorkas.

The first Homeland Security Dialogue between the two countries took place in 2011, when Janet Napolitano, Barack Obama's Department of Homeland Security Secretary, visited New Delhi for talks with former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram.