Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The European Union (EU), in cooperation with organising partner Global Counter-Terrorism Council (GCTC) and with India’s Ministry of External Affairs as a strategic ally, will be conducting a crucial regional meeting on August 21-22, to examine the current and emerging threats in online radicalisation and find methods to jointly counter the exploitation of online spaces by extremist and terrorist players.
What Are the Key Goals of the EU-India Counter-Terrorism Meeting?
The two-day EU-India Track 1.5 meeting in New Delhi brings together professionals, policymakers, academia and law enforcement officeholders from South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka) and Europe, who are at the vanguard of the fight against digital extremism.
How Will the EU and India Tackle Online Radicalisation Together?
The conference seeks to enhance counter-terrorism dialogues and associations in the region, consistent with the EU’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, which envisions a deeper and stronger engagement with allies which share common goals and meet common challenges. Expected outcomes include examining strategies to address the complex challenges posed by the intersection of technology and terrorism while determining possible areas of cooperation between the EU, India and the wider region to oppose violent extremism in the digital sphere.
The event is characteristic of a series of ongoing counterterrorism meetings between the EU and India, building on recent movements in the country held under the EU project Improving Security Cooperation In and With Asia (ESIWA), which have theretofore included topics such as fighting drone terrorism, cybersecurity, misinformation and disinformation, and women peace and security.
Which Nations Are Participating in the Regional Counter-Terrorism Dialogue?
In the spirit of #TeamEurope, a diverse body of top security practitioners from European Union institutions, EU Member States (Austria, Italy, Croatia, Estonia, Spain, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, France and Romania), and key instruments such as European Border & Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and European Counter Terrorism Centre (Europol) will arrive together to employ in a peer-to-peer exchange.
H.E. Hervé Delphin, Ambassador of the European Union to India, stated: “Terrorism knows no borders and has found with online digital activities a fresh field of propagation. Sharing knowledge, background and expertise among friends and partners is essential to keeping track of and countering online radicalisation while assuring the right balance between security measures and citizens’ fundamental rights. As two of the world’s biggest democracies and global security actors, we are delighted to host this key conference alongside India, with whom we have a strong ongoing counter-terrorism dialogue and collaboration.”
How Will the Meeting Address the Intersection of Technology and Terrorism?
“The EU has been at the vanguard of regulating social media companies and internet providers with a strong emphasis on human rights. We are happy to share our ventures, regulatory frameworks, and enforcement instruments. Through collaborating with India and nations in the region, we can enhance our collaborative capacity to combat transnational terrorist networks, share best courses in intelligence gathering and analysis, and design effective strategies to counter terrorism and control violent extremism.” H.E. Delphin added.
