India, US to resume homeland security dialogue
The announcement was made after a discussion between US secretary for homeland security, Alejandro Mayorkas, and the Indian ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu
India and the United States announced on Tuesday they will re-establish the Homeland Security Dialogue focused on issues such as cybersecurity, emerging technology and violent extremism.
The announcement was made after a discussion between US secretary for homeland security, Alejandro Mayorkas, and the Indian ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu.
The two officials "agreed to re-establish the US-India Homeland Security Dialogue and to discuss important issues such as cybersecurity, emerging technology and addressing violent extremism", the department of homeland security said in a readout of their discussion.
Homeland security dialogue was part of the bouquet of bilateral engagements between the two countries till some years ago.
The two countries had welcomed efforts to "reinvigorate" the dialogue - between the US department of homeland security and India's ministry of home affairs - at the last 2+2 dialogue of foreign and defence ministers of the two countries held in New Delhi in 2020.
Mayorkas and Sandhu also discussed the "the positive engagement" that has already taken place between the two countries since US President Joe Biden took office, including the first summit-level meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, better known as the Quad, between the US, India Japan and Australia.
Increased cooperation among the four countries on emerging technology was one of the key outcomes of the Quad summit, to be spearheaded by the Quad Critical and Emerging Technology Working Group, one of the three working groups — two others focused on Covid-19 vaccine distribution and climate — announced by the four leaders.
Mayorkas and Sandhu also took stock of other areas of interest, such as "the important contributions of students and entrepreneurs that have made both countries stronger".