Homeland Security Dialogue: India, US deepen strategic partnership on counternarcotics, combatting terrorism

Washington, DC: The India-US Homeland Security Dialogue deepened the strategic partnership between Washington, DC and New Delhi on issues ranging from counternarcotics cooperation and customs-to-customs collaboration to combating terrorism and cybercrime and addressing irregular migration, an official readout from US Homeland Security said.

From February 27 to February 29, the senior official performing the duties of US Deputy Secretary Kristie Canegallo and Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla met in New Delhi to co-chair the India-US Homeland Security Dialogue.

During the meeting, the leaders reaffirmed the commitment of the United States and India to strengthen access to lawful immigration pathways while enforcing immigration law to include returns of individuals who do not have a legal basis to remain in the United States. They also agreed to work together to expand law enforcement cooperation to target smugglers who prey on and profit from vulnerable migrants, it added.

The Homeland Security Dialogue acknowledged the work of the US-India Counternarcotics Working Group, which guides our joint efforts to address drug regulatory issues, law enforcement cooperation and collaboration, coordination in multilateral forums, and drug demand reduction efforts. The leaders reaffirmed the need to deepen information sharing efforts to prevent diversion of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals of concern used as precursors for illicit fentanyl and other illicit synthetic drugs.

At the conclusion of the dialogue, the leaders signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to expand law enforcement collaboration between the United States and India. The new memorandum between the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centres and India’s National Police Academy institutionalises police training cooperation between our governments through the sharing of best practices and joint programming, according to the readout.

The Department of Homeland Security also said that it looks forward to building upon these productive discussions and commitments as we continue working to strengthen our partnership with India to further our shared security interests.