The first United States-India Homeland Security dialogue began in New Delhi, during which Home minister P Chidambaram and his American counterpart Janet Napolitano deliberated on issues such as mutual assistance in probes such as the Mumbai terror attacks and counter-terrorism.
Combating trans-national crime, countering illicit financing, accessing and sharing of data relating to terrorism are among key issues on the agenda of the day-long meeting.
Napolitano, who arrived in Mumbai on Wednesday, is the first top official from the US to visit India after President Barack Obama toured the country in November last year.
In his opening remarks, Chidambaram said, "The vast infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan has for long flourished as an instrument of state policy. Today, different terrorist groups operating from the safe havens in Pakistan are becoming increasingly fused."
"Pakistan has become increasingly radicalised; its economy has weakened; and, the state structure in Pakistan has become fragile. Today, Pakistan itself faces a major threat from the same forces. Its people as well as its state institutions are under attack," he said.
Chidambaram said that he felt honoured to launch a discussion on India-US-Homeland security with Secretary Napolitano.
"This is an important milestone in India-US relations and adds a very important dimension to the growing strategic partnership between our two countries. It implements one of the key strategic outcomes of the visit of US President Barack Obama to India in November 2010, during which Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and President Obama announced the Homeland Security Dialogue," he said.
Quoting from the joint statement issued after Obama-Manmohan meeting, Chidambaram said, "Building upon the counter-terrorism initiative signed in July 2010, the two leaders announced a new dialogue between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Homeland Security, and agreed to further deepen operational cooperation, counter-terrorism technology transfers and capacity building," he said.
He said that the thrust of understanding between President Obama and PM Dr Manmohan Singh was on how to effectively put an end to the financing of the terror networks and how to protect the international financing system.
"In a world of complex challenges, including new and emerging forms of threats, terrorism remains a principal challenge for our two countries. The events of the past few days, especially inside Pakistan, speak to the successes and to the enduring risks and challenges," he said.
Despite extraordinary efforts and significant successes against the forces of terrorism, its threat remains strong," he said after the meeting.
He thanked US administration for political support and operational cooperation during and after the Mumbai.
"We appreciate the US efforts to bring the perpetrators of Mumbai terror attack, and others associated with it to justice. Even as we meet, Tahawwur Rana's trail is taking place in Chicago," he said.
"The PM and President Obama, during their November 2008 meeting, called for Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks to justice.
He said the cooperation must cover all aspects of the challenges that we face: anticipating and predicting threats, taking preventive or pre-emptive measures, or responding effectively and quickly to incidents.
"Therefore, India and United States must further deepen our ties in intelligence, information and assessment sharing; cooperation in investigations and forensics; protecting cities, infrastructure, people and trade; and, developing capabilities to diffuse and terminate any incident," he said.
With inputs from PTI
