India & US discuss various key issues during virtual Homeland Security Dialogue

India and the United States senior officials met on Wednesday for Homeland Security dialogue through video conferencing, said the Ministry of Home Affairs in an official release. The virtual India-US Homeland Security Dialogue was co-chaired by Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and US Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Strategy, Policy, and Plans Robert Silvers. Both sides, according to MHA, reviewed the ongoing cooperation and even identified further steps taken to explore opportunities and synergies.

MHA said that India and US, “reviewed the ongoing cooperation and identified further steps that can be taken to explore opportunities and synergies in advancing cooperation in counter-terrorism, cyber security, securing critical infrastructure and global supply chains, maritime security, aviation security,  customs enforcement and trade security, among other issues.”

“Both sides agreed that the existing sub-groups under the Homeland Security Dialogue on law enforcement engagement, securing global supply chains, aviation security, investigative cooperation, and capacity building and training would meet separately in the coming months to deliberate and explore how ongoing cooperation can be strengthened further,” it added.

Ministry of Home Affairs stated that both sides concluded by “expressing satisfaction with the ongoing partnership and agreeing to deepen bilateral engagement and collaboration in all areas of mutual concern” while adding, “The two sides look forward to holding the Ministerial-level Homeland Security Dialogue later this year.”

Biden administration re-established Homeland Security Dialogue

The latest virtual meeting came after in March 2021, the United States President Joe Biden administration had announced the re-establishment of the Homeland Security Dialogue which was discontinued by former US President Donald Trump’s administration. Earlier, US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas spoke with India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu and the American official expressed his desire to further enhance the partnership between both nations. The readout of the meeting had said, "Mayorkas and Sandhu agreed to re-establish the US-India Homeland Security Dialogue and to discuss important issues such as cybersecurity, emerging technology and addressing violent extremism.”