India and Italy held comprehensive discussions on strengthening cooperation in counter-terrorism and organised crime, covering areas including drug trafficking and emerging regional and global terrorist threats. The two sides also discussed ways to counter the misuse of new and emerging technologies, including information, communication and financial technologies for terrorist purposes, with a focus on enhancing capacity building and information exchange to address emerging and non-traditional threats.
The discussions were held during the sixth meeting of the India-Italy Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime on October 6 and the second meeting of the India-Italy Permanent Task Force on Countering Financing of Terrorism on October 7 in New Delhi, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Focus on technology misuse, drug trafficking and emerging threats
The two sides held comprehensive discussions on a wide range of areas of cooperation in counter-terrorism and organised crime, including drug trafficking and emerging regional and global terrorist threats.
India and Italy reaffirmed the need to strengthen cooperation against the misuse of new and emerging technologies, including information, communication and financial technologies, for terrorist purposes. They also discussed ways to enhance capacity building and information exchange to counter emerging and non-traditional threats.
The meetings were co-chaired by Dr Suhel Ajaz Khan, Additional Secretary (Counter Terrorism), Ministry of External Affairs, and Paolo Mari, Joint Secretary for G7-G20, Transnational Threats and Integrated Strategy, Directorate General for Political Affairs and International Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy. Counter-terrorism agencies from both countries participated in the meetings.
India, Italy condemn terrorism in all forms
Condemning terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, the two sides reiterated their condemnation of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025.
Terror financing cooperation also reviewed
The Permanent Task Force meeting focused on strengthening cooperation in countering the financing of terrorism under the India-Italy Joint Initiative on Countering Financing of Terrorism.
The initiative was launched by the Prime Ministers of the two countries on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November 2025.
The two sides also discussed strengthening multilateral cooperation on counter-terrorism, including through the United Nations, the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the MEA said.
Next meetings to be held in Rome
India and Italy agreed to hold the next meetings of the Joint Working Group and the Permanent Task Force in Rome on mutually convenient dates.
Published: Thursday, 8 October 2026 | 1:28 PM IST