India will seek assistance in terms of technology and information
India will not only seek sophisticated equipment for its agencies but also professions training by US organisations to further enhance its capacity to fight terror. (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi: One of the key items that will figure on India’s shopping list during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States later this month will be hi-tech surveillance equipment for India’s top security and intelligence agencies involved in fighting terror outfits as the two countries are expected to agree to an “unprecedented level of cooperation on dealing with terrorism”.
Sources said India will seek assistance from top US security and intelligence agencies, both in terms of technology and information, to help fight terror particularly in wake of growing threat from Al Qaeda in the Indian sub-continent.
Ever since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack there has been greater cooperation between the US and Indian security agencies particularly after the involvement of David Coleman Headley came to light.
Since Mr Modi’s visiting is likely to add several new dimensions to the Indo-US relations security is being seen as one of the key areas that would witness enhanced co-operation between the two countries.
Sources claimed that India will not only seek sophisticated equipment for its agencies but also professions training by US organisations to further enhance its capacity to fight terror. Even when recent video of Al Qaeda top commandant Ayman Al Zawahari surfaced threatening India and the sub-continent the US security agencies had already tipped off their Indian counterparts.
“We definitely need more sophisticated equipment to surveillance and snooping to keep a check on activities of terror outfits. We will also seek help from the US to provide us good hardware for cyber security also since most terror outfits are now relying heavily on the cyber space as well. Some preliminary discussions have already been held with the US authorities in the run to the PM’s visit and their response has been extremely positive,” a senior security official said.
Another reason, sources added, the US would be willing to help India in its fight against terror is that America is concerned over the growing influence of Al Qaida and the Taliban in the entire region once it starts withdrawal of it troops from Afghanistan from 2015. The US is keen that both Afghanistan and India’s anti-terror mechanism should be strengthened further so that such terror outfits can be kept under check.
( Source : dc )
Next Story
