India hosted the 11th meeting of the BIMSTEC Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (JWG-CTTC) in New Delhi on September 28 and 29, with delegations from all seven member states taking part. The Ministry of External Affairs said representatives from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand attended the meeting, which focused on strengthening regional cooperation against security threats.
The meeting was chaired by Suhel Ajaz Khan, Additional Secretary for Counter Terrorism in the Ministry of External Affairs. Discussions covered both traditional and emerging non-traditional security threats affecting the BIMSTEC region. Participants also considered recommendations aimed at improving cooperation and coordination among member states in efforts to counter terrorism and transnational crimes.
The BIMSTEC Joint Working Group also reviewed reports from several specialised sub-groups working on different areas of regional security. These included groups dealing with human trafficking, illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals, as well as anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism.
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Other sub-groups discussed legal and law enforcement matters and cooperation on preventing radicalisation and terrorism. The discussions were aimed at strengthening coordination between member states across these areas and addressing crimes that can have cross-border implications. The meeting provided a platform for the participating countries to consider ways to improve cooperation in tackling such challenges.
The discussions followed the fifth meeting of the BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs held in New Delhi in July under the chairmanship of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. National Security Advisors and heads of delegations from the other six member states participated in that meeting, where discussions covered terrorism, organised crime, cybersecurity, maritime and energy security, connectivity and disaster management.
BIMSTEC brings together countries from South Asia and Southeast Asia and has expanded cooperation across several areas over the years. Its areas of engagement include regional security, disaster management, transport and trade connectivity, technology and people-to-people ties. The latest JWG-CTTC meeting furthered discussions among member states on cooperation against terrorism and transnational crime.
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