New Delhi: India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval hosted a virtual meeting of top security officials of the BRICS nations that focused on collectively dealing with regional and global security challenges including the threat of terrorism and drug trafficking.
The meeting was attended by Brazilian security official Gen Augusto Helena Ribeiro Pereira, Russian NSA General Nikolai Patrushev, Chinese Politburo member Yang Jiechi and South African deputy minister of state security Ncediso Goodenough Kodwa, according to a statement issued by the government.
India holds the chairmanship of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) bloc this year which coincides with the 15th anniversary of the grouping. The meeting of the top security advisors took place before the summit of the heads of the state of BRICS nations that India is scheduled to host later this year under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The August 24 meeting took place over a week after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan.
People familiar with the development said the meeting reviewed the regional and global political and security scenario with particular reference to current developments in Afghanistan, Iran, Middle East, and the Gulf nations and emerging threats to national security.
India also took a veiled dig at Pakistan over cross-border terrorism and said that activities of state-supported terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed threaten peace.
“Other items on the agenda were cooperation among law enforcement agencies, health safety and healthcare and counter-terrorism. India raised the issue of cross-border terrorism and activities of groups such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed which enjoy state support and threaten peace and security,” the statement issued by the Indian government read.
India has been strongly pitching for deeper cooperation among the BRICS member countries in dealing with terrorism, extremism and radicalization.
