New Delhi, October 24 — India and Uzbekistan discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation across various sectors, including counter-terrorism, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Saturday, news agency IANS reported.

Source: IANS via IANS Live

MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George received Pirimkulov Gulomjon Shodmonkulovich, Head of Department for Cooperation with South Asian, Near, Middle Eastern and African Countries at Uzbekistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Co-Chair of the India-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism, in New Delhi. "They discussed India-Uzbekistan cooperation in counter-terrorism and other issues of mutual interest, reaffirming their commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation," the MEA said in a post on X, quoted by IANS and ANI.

Source: IANS via IANS Live

The 10th Meeting of the India-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism was held on October 22 in New Delhi, co-chaired by MEA Additional Secretary (Counter Terrorism) Suhel Ajaz Khan and Pirimkulov, the MEA said.

Source: IANS via IANS Live

10thMeeting of the India-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism, held October 22 in New Delhi
October 22Date of the joint working group meeting; the follow-up Sibi George meeting was reported October 24
UN, SCO-RATS, EAGMultilateral fora where both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation, ANI reported

"The two sides discussed the threats posed by terrorist groups globally and in their respective regions. Both sides exchanged views on current and emerging challenges to counter-terrorism, including countering extremism and radicalisation, combating financing of terrorism, preventing use of technology for terrorist purposes, and the nexus between transnational organised crime and terrorism," the MEA said in a statement reported by IANS.

Source: IANS via IANS Live

Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation through information sharing, capacity building and sharing of best practices, and reaffirmed commitment to cooperation in multilateral fora including the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO-RATS) and the Eurasian Group (EAG), ANI reported via NewKerala. The next meeting of the joint working group will be held in Uzbekistan on a mutually convenient date, the MEA said.

Source: ANI via NewKerala