In a partnership against terrorism, India and the United States on Friday signed a Counter Terrorism Initiative which includes steps to check financing of terror activities, joint probe in cases of bomb blasts and cooperation in cyber and border security. The move comes ahead of US President Barack Obama’s visit to India in early
November with both countries looking towards enhanced cooperation in real-time intelligence sharing for counter-terrorism efforts. The agreement was signed by home secretary G.K. Pillai from the Indian side and US ambassador to India Timothy Roemer signing on behalf of the US foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, was also present.
“Today, with the formal signing of the counter-terrorism cooperation initiative we take several significant steps forward against terrorism. In the coming days and months there will be even closer information-sharing and collaborative efforts on issues ranging from bomb-blast investigations and major event security to mega-city policing, cyber security and border security,” Mr Roemer said.
In November 2009, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the US President Barack Obama had agreed on a counter-terrorism cooperation initiative to expand collaboration on counter-terrorism, information sharing, and capacity building. The MoU signed Friday is a sequel to that.
The US embassy here said the counter-terrorism cooperation initiative reflects the shared desire of India and the US to further enhance their cooperation in counter-terrorism as an important element of the India-US strategic relationship.