Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

India-EU Joint Declaration on International Terrorism

The EU, its Member states and India:

Acknowledge that International Terrorism is one of the most serious threats to international peace and security;

Emphasize that EU and India stand united in combating threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts;

Condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purpose;

Denounce those who sponsor, abet and instigate terrorism and provide terrorists safe havens;

Underline that cooperation in combating International Terrorism, including cross border terrorism is one of the key political priorities in the India-EU strategic partnership.

Recall their commitments to enhance counter terrorism cooperation, as contained in the 2005 EU-India Joint Action Plan, as well as in the 2009 EU-India Summit Declaration;

Further recall that their Strategic Partnership is rooted in shared values and principles-democracy, pluralism, Constitutional and legal rights and freedoms, and the rule of law

Attach great importance to counter terrorism cooperation in the framework of United Nations and share a commitment to universal ratification and full implementation of all UN Counter Terrorism conventions;

Reaffirm their conviction that the proposed Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism should become a vital component of the international legal framework against terrorism, and to intensify efforts to bring negotiations to a successful conclusion.

In this spirit, India and EU have come together to declare their resolve to cooperate in combating international terrorism within the following framework, details of which will be worked out through designated authorities:

Political dialogue:

�Continue to discuss Counter Terrorism cooperation at high level meetings within our security dialogue

�Encourage all countries to deny safe haven to terrorists and to dismantle terror infrastructure on the territories under their control

Law enforcement and police cooperation:

�Identify, including through seminars, areas of cooperation with respect to the designated agencies, according to their respective competencies,.

�Continue efforts to prevent access by terrorists to financial and other resources

�Enhance efforts for accessing and sharing strategic information, so as to better disrupt and prevent terrorist activity

�Intensify efforts to render the widest possible measure of mutual legal assistance and to expedite processing of extradition requests and to explore the possibility of an EU - India Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement and an EU - India Agreement on Extradition.

Research, Technology and Cybersecurity:

�Agree to closer India�EU cooperation and mutual assistance in this area.

Transport, aviation and border security:

�Work together, including in ICAO, to improve international security standards for passengers, cargo and mail, including in transit.

�Coordinate efforts against terrorists and terrorist groups so as to deny them safe haven and freedom of travel in accordance with international law

�Encourage more efficient controls on issuance of identity and travel documents to prevent movement of terrorist and terrorist groups across national borders

Consequence Management:

�Share experiences and best practices on managing the consequences of a terrorist attack.

Cooperation in the Multilateral system, including United Nations:

�Increase cooperation in multilateral fora like the UN, and intensify efforts to bring about a rapid adoption of CCIT

�Build on the opportunities of coordination provided by the India's membership of Financial Action Task Force of EU Member States and India by intensifying efforts to prevent access by terrorists to financial and other resources and by sharing best practices on financial controls.

�Reaffirm commitment to implement the 2006 UN Global Counter Terrorism Strategy as a unique instrument to enhance national, regional and global efforts to counter terrorism.

�Encourage global ratification and effective implementation of all relevant conventions on counter terrorism.

�Promote initiatives, under the auspices of UN, inter alia, on Alliance of Civilization initiative, to enhance dialogue and broaden understanding among civilizations.

�The EU and India agree that an effective and comprehensive approach to diminish the long term threat of violent extremism is an important component of our efforts to combat terrorism.