National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Tuesday hosted the 11th Meeting of the BRICS High Representatives Responsible for National Security through video conferencing. The current situation in Afghanistan, cross-border terror and drug trafficking were high on the agenda. The meeting is attended by Russian NSA General Patrushev, Chinese Politburo Member Yang Jiechi, and Brazilian counterparts General Augusto Helena Ribeiro Pereira and South African Deputy Minister of State Security Ncediso Goodenough Kodwa.
During the meeting, BRICS NSAs reviewed the regional and global political and security scenario with particular reference to current developments in Afghanistan, Iran, West Asia and the Gulf and emerging threats to national security, such as Cyber Security. The NSAs discussed important issues of contemporary and future significance including regional and global security, cyber security, health safety and counter terrorism especially drug trafficking. This was an important meeting in the run-up to BRICS Summit to be held in virtual format in September second week. India raised the issue of cross-border terrorism and activities of groups such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed which enjoy State support and threaten peace and security. As a follow up to the adoption of the BRICS Counter Terrorism Strategy at the 12th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in 2020, done at the suggestion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the High Representatives adopted and recommended the BRICS Counter Terrorism Action Plan for consideration by the BRICS Summit.
Action Plan aims to strengthen existing mechanisms of cooperation in areas such as financing and combating terrorism, among others. In the area of Cyber Security, it was agreed to strengthen joint efforts to enhance cooperation by sharing information and exchange of best practices, combat cyber-crimes and capacity building. India had earlier hosted a BRICS Workshop on Digital Forensics in August 2021, the MEA said.
