First Meeting of India-Australia Joint Steering Committee held

The First Meeting of India-Australia Joint Steering Committee was held here today. Shri TVSN Prasad, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and Mr. Stephen Bouwhuis, First Assistant Secretary, International and Auscheck Division, Criminal Justice Group, Attorney-General's Department led the respective delegations.

Today’s meeting is a follow-up to the Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime exchanged between the two sides during the visit of Australian Prime Minister Mr. Malcolm Turnbull to New Delhi in April this year and his talks with the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

During the Joint Steering Committee meeting the two sides discussed scope for cooperation in counter-terrorism and checking extremism and radicalization besides steps to check illegal financial transactions and counterfeiting and cybercrimes. Issues related to human trafficking and people smuggling, combating illegal drug trafficking and sharing information between law enforcement agencies were also discussed.

The two sides agreed to pursue further the agenda for cooperation in specific areas with meetings of operational Joint Working Groups involving concerned agencies.

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KSD/NK/PK