The 9th meeting of India-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism was held in Tashkent on September 30, a statement by the MEA said.
The meeting was co-chaired by Vinod J Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism), Ministry of External Affairs and Gulomjon Pirimkulov, Head of Department for Cooperation with South Asia, Middle East and Africa of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan.
The two sides discussed threats posed by terrorist groups globally and in their respective regions. Both sides exchanged views on current and emerging challenges to counter-terrorism including countering extremism and radicalization, combating financing of terrorism, preventing use of technology for terrorist purposes, nexus between transnational organized crime and terrorism and global movement of terrorists.
Both sides condemned the dastardly terrorist attack on innocent civilians on 22 April 2025 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, the statement said.
The two sides also deliberated upon measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the sphere of counter terrorism through information sharing, capacity building and sharing of best practices. Both sides reaffirmed commitment to strengthen cooperation in multilateral fora including the UN, SCO-RATS and EAG.
The next meeting of the Joint Working Group will be held in India on a mutually convenient date, as per the MEA.
The Indian Embassy in Uzbekistan said in a post on X, “9th meeting of Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism between India and Uzbekistan was held today in Tashkent. Both sides discussed cooperation in countering terrorism and radicalization.”
Earlier on July 16, 2019, the 8th meeting of India-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism was held in Delhi. The meeting was co-chaired by Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism), Ministry of External Affairs and Ambassador Farhod Azriev of Uzbekistan.
The Joint Working Group reviewed threats posed by terrorist groups worldwide and in their respective regions including cross border terrorism. They exchanged views on current counter-terrorism challenges including countering radicalization, combating financing of terrorism, preventing use of internet for terrorist purposes and returnee foreign terrorist fighters. (ANI)
