New Delhi, October 7 (Daily Kiran) : India and Italy engaged in extensive discussions on Wednesday to bolster their collaboration in combating terrorism and organized crime. The talks, held in New Delhi, addressed critical issues such as drug trafficking and the evolving threats posed by regional and global terrorism.
The discussions took place during the sixth meeting of the India-Italy Joint Working Group (JWG) on terrorism and organized crime, and the second meeting of the permanent task force focused on countering the financing of terrorism. These meetings occurred on October 6 and 7.
Co-chaired by Suhail Ajaz Khan, Additional Secretary for Counter-Terrorism in India’s Ministry of External Affairs, and Paolo Mari, Joint Secretary for Political Affairs and International Security in Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the sessions also included representatives from both nations’ counter-terrorism agencies.
A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs condemned all forms of terrorism, reiterating the condemnation of the horrific terrorist attack that took place on April 22, 2025, in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
The ministry further emphasized the need to enhance cooperation in effectively countering the misuse of new and emerging technologies, including information, communication, and financial technologies for terrorist purposes. The discussions also focused on building capacity and strengthening information exchange to tackle emerging and unconventional threats.
The meeting of the permanent task force concentrated on enhancing collaboration under the India-Italy joint initiative to combat the financing of terrorism, which was launched by the Prime Ministers of both nations during the G20 summit in Johannesburg in November 2025.
Additionally, both sides discussed enhancing multilateral cooperation against terrorism through platforms such as the United Nations, the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). They agreed to hold the next meetings of the JWG and the permanent task force in Rome, Italy, at a mutually convenient time.
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