New Delhi

India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday attended a meeting of his peers from the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries.

The meeting was held in the virtual mode.

The NSAs discussed issues of contemporary and future significance including regional and global security, cyber security, health safety and counter terrorism especially drug trafficking.

This is an important meeting in the run-up to BRICS Summit in virtual format next month.

Besides Doval, the meeting was attended by Russian NSA General Patrushev, Chinese Politburo Member Yang Jeichi, and Brazilian counterparts General Augusto Helena Ribeiro Pereira and South African Deputy Minister of State Security Ncediso Goodenough Kodwa.

India holds the Chairship of BRICS this year which coincides with the 15th anniversary of the BRICS grouping.

The meeting of the High Representatives took place before the Summit Meeting of Leaders of the BRICS Nations that India will host this year, under the Chairship of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

The meetings of the High Representatives Responsible for National Security have emerged as an important platform for exchange of views on political and security issues among BRICS countries.

Today’s meeting 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.

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-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 Shri Narendra Modi, the High Representatives adopted and recommended the BRICS Counter Terrorism Action Plan for consideration by the BRICS Summit.

The Action Plan aims to further strengthen existing mechanisms of cooperation in areas such as financing and combating terrorism, misuse of the internet by terrorists, curbing the travel of terrorists, border controls, protection of soft targets, information sharing, capacity building, and regional and international cooperation.

Considerable attention was paid to the heightened risk of growth of illegal drug production and trafficking in the region. It was agreed that concerned agencies in BRICS countries will enhance their cooperation in this area.

Health Safety and healthcare were also identified as a priority area of cooperation within BRICS in the light of new challenges emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the area of Cyber Security, it was agreed to strengthen joint efforts to enhance cooperation by sharing of 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.