New Delhi

The BRICS– Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – countries today agreed to work together  to further strengthen the existing cooperation in areas of financing and combating terrorism, misuse of the internet by terrorists, curbing the travel of terrorists, border controls, protection of soft targets, information sharing etc.

In a meeting hosted by India’s National security advisor Ajit Doval and attended by the High Representatives Responsible for National Security of the member countries, virtually.

The meeting was attended by General Augusto Heleno Ribeiro Pereira, Head of the Institutional Security, Brazil, General Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Yang Jiechi, Member, Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and  Ncediso Goodenough Kodwa, Deputy Minister of State, Security, South Africa.

India holds the Chair of BRICS for this year and it coincides with the 15th anniversary of the group.

According to an official release, the meeting led by Doval 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.

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India raised the issue of cross-border terrorism and activities of groups such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed enjoy State support and threaten peace and security.

The security leaders of BRICS adopted and recommended the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Action Plan for consideration by the BRICS Summit that will be hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India this year.

The Action Plan aims to 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,” the release said.

In the area of Cyber Security, the NSAs agreed to strengthen joint efforts to enhance cooperation by sharing of information and exchange of best practices, combat cyber-crimes and capacity building.