In the important meeting, officials of both the countries will discuss serious security concerns.
New Delhi:
“Asylum abuse” by criminals in the United States will be a top agenda when officials from India and the United States meet on Wednesday at a high-level dialogue on homeland security.
The high-level diplomatic engagement follows allegations by US federal prosecutors of implicating an Indian official in an alleged plot to assassinate Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
NDTV has learned that India has prepared a broad agenda for the talks that includes several key issues, but discussions related to the alleged plot to murder Pannun may not be part of the deliberations.
“Abuse of asylum status by individuals involved in criminal activities within the US is one of the key focus areas for us,” a senior official told NDTV.
In the important meeting, officials of both the countries will discuss serious security concerns and strengthen bilateral cooperation, the official said.
According to the information, both the countries will cooperate to identify and capture terrorist fugitives taking shelter in any country. The talks will explore ways to enhance cooperation in investigating and disrupting terrorist financing networks.
Key issues on the agenda include a focus on countering the threat posed by Khalistani supporters operating in the US and their ability to carry out terrorist activities in India.
“India will seek assistance from US authorities to arrest those responsible for the attack on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco and the issue of the extradition status of Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana will also be discussed,” a source told NDTV. ” , Tahawwur Rana is wanted in India for his alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla will represent India while the US delegation will be led by Acting Deputy Secretary Homeland Security Kristi Canegallo.
“This dialogue is an opportunity for India to express concerns about the exploitation of digital platforms by terrorist organizations for radicalization, recruitment and financing of illicit activities,” an official said.
Additionally, officials from India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) will explore opportunities for collaboration with their US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) counterparts.
India will also emphasize on the challenges posed by cyber attacks targeting critical infrastructure including the banking system, railways, power grids, energy facilities and health care institutions.
Notably, cases of cyber attacks have been reported from countries such as China, Cambodia, Philippines and Myanmar, with breaches reported at government-run institutions such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
A senior official raised concerns about data sovereignty, citing examples of misuse of Indian data by Chinese lending apps and online investment fraud. The dialogue provides a platform for India to address these issues with the US, strengthening bilateral cooperation in combating cyber threats and terrorism.
Introduced in 2010 as part of the India-US Counter-Terrorism Initiative, the Homeland Security Dialogue serves as an important platform for cooperation between the two countries in countering illicit finance, cyber information, global supply chain security and other areas .
The talks, previously halted during Donald Trump’s presidency, were reinstated after Joe Biden took office in 2021.
