India, US ink counter-terror pact

NEW DELHI - A day after top American military commander Admiral Mike Mullen warned of another 26/11-type attack in India, New Delhi Friday inked a counter-terror initiative with the US and pledged to intensify information sharing on issues ranging from terror probes to cyber and border security.

The memorandum of understanding to implement the counter-terrorism cooperation, firmed up during visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the US in November 2008, was signed by US ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer and union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai.

“The signing is the latest evidence of the close and effective cooperative efforts between the United States and India on counter-terrorism, information sharing and building capacities,” Roemer said.

The pact heralds all-embracing counter-terror cooperation between the two countries and symbolises a growing appreciation of the common threat posed by extremists to their security.

The initiative identifies specific areas to expand collaboration on counter-terrorism like transportation security, border security, anti-money laundering and terrorist financing, and mega-city policing.

“In the coming days and months, there will be even closer information sharing and collaborative efforts on issues ranging from bomb blast investigations and major event security to mega-city policing, cyber security and border security,” said the US envoy.

Warning of another 26/11-type attack, Mullen, who is currently in India, told journalists travelling with him that he was concerned that the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attack, was emerging as a “larger, regional and global threat”.