To further strengthen the partnership between India and the US, the Senior Officers Meeting of the India-US Homeland Security Dialogue was held on Wednesday, 12 Jan 2022 virtually. The meeting was co-chaired by the Home Secretary, Ajay Bhalla, and Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans, Department of Homeland Security, Government of USA, Robert Silvers, and also was attended by other senior officials of both countries.
During the meeting, both sides have reviewed the ongoing cooperation and identified further steps that can be taken to explore opportunities and synergies in cooperation in counter-terrorism, cyber security, securing critical infrastructure and global supply chains, maritime security, aviation security, customs enforcement, and trade security, among other areas.
Both sides agreed that the Homeland Security Dialogue’s existing sub-groups 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 could be strengthened even further.
Both sides also expressed satisfaction with the current partnership and agreed to expand bilateral engagement and collaboration in all areas of mutual concern at the meeting’s conclusion. Later this year, the two sides plan to have a Ministerial-level Homeland Security Dialogue.
About U.S.-India Homeland Security Dialogue:
India and the U.S. have agreed to re-establish the U.S.- India Homeland Security Dialogue, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in March 2021, following a discussion between India’s Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas.
The first Homeland Security Dialogue between both countries was held in 2011 when Janet Napolitano, Barack Obama’s DHS Secretary visited New Delhi for discussions with former Home Minister P Chidambaram. The second dialogue was held between former Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Janet Napolitano.
