(a) whether India and the United States of America have made any joint declaration on combating terrorism in the recent past;
(b) if so, the details in this regard;
(c) whether any dialogue by both the countries have been held in the recent past;
(d) if so, the details in this regard;
(e) whether India and US have also agreed to sign pact on terror database and if so, the details thereof; and
(f) the benefits likely to accrue to India as a result thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]
(a) to (d) Both India and the US have resolved at the highest level to further deepen bilateral cooperation to counter terrorism and radicalism. During the visit of US President Barack Obama to India in January 2015, India and the US committed to undertake efforts to make the India-US partnership a defining counterterrorism relationship for the 21st Century by deepening collaboration to combat the full spectrum of terrorist threats and keep their respective homelands and citizens safe from attacks. India and the US reiterated their strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations with ‘zero tolerance’ and reaffirmed their deep concern over the continued threat posed by transnational terrorism and called for eliminating terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and their financing, and stopping cross-border movement of terrorists.
At the first India-US Strategic and Commercial Ministerial Dialogue in Washington DC on 22 September 2015, a Joint Declaration on Combating Terrorism was issued. The Declaration identifies specific steps to further strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation.
There is a bilateral Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism. The last meeting was held in June 2012 in Washington DC.
(e) & (f) The Governments of India and the US have agreed to finalise an agreement to expand intelligence sharing and terrorist watch-list information.