India’s concern over terrorism in South Asia

India has expressed its concern over terrorism in South Asia region, with possible threats from misuse of new and emerging technologies and unmanned area systems. India’s concern was conveyed to a team of experts from the United Nations Analyitcal Support and Sanctions Monitoring team during its visit to the country between March 8 to 19, according to Ministry of External Affairs.

The UN experts visited India on the invitation of the Indian government and held meetings with senior officials in the relevant ministries and were briefed on India’s counter-terrorism priorities and concerns.

 “Discussions were also held on a range of counterterrorism related subjects, including threats from misuse of new and emerging technologies and unmanned aerial systems for terrorism, linkages between terrorism and organised crime and narco-trafficking as well as unconventional methods of terror financing,” according to a Ministry statement.

The monitoring team members also called on Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Deputy National Security Advisor Rajinder Khanna, the statement said. India is currently the chair of the UN Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) for 2022 and the visit of the monitoring team provided a useful opportunity to brief them on India's priorities in the CTC, it said.

Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi met the Director of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). "Happy to meet the visiting Director of SCO RATS Mirzaev Ruslan Erkinovich and had an engaging interaction on the various facets of the work of this SCO body. Strengthening regional cooperation in countering terrorism, drug-trafficking and terror financing were also discussed," Lekhi tweeted. India has shown keen interest in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence.