India, EU to hold regional conference on countering terrorism online

The Track 1.5 conference, which will be held on August 21-22 in collaboration with organising partner Global Counter-Terrorism Council (GCTC), an international think tank, will gather experts, policymakers, academia and law enforcement officials from India, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Europe.

The conference aims to enhance counter-terror dialogues and partnerships in the region, in line with the EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy that envisages a deeper and stronger engagement with partners which share common goals and face common challenges, the EU said in a statement on Monday.

The expected outcomes from the meeting include strategies to address complex challenges posed by the intersection of technology and terrorism, and identifying possible areas of collaboration between the EU, India and the wider region to counter violent extremism in the digital sphere.

KD Dewal, joint secretary (counter-terrorism) in the external affairs ministry, said India, which has a “zero-tolerance policy” towards terror, is ready to engage as a collaborative partner in tackling terrorism challenges, especially in view of its experiences with cross-border terrorism and extremism. “The recently held meeting of India-EU joint working group on counter-terrorism was an opportunity to continue and enhance cooperation on this important element of the EU-India strategic partnership,” he said.

The EU and India have strongly condemned all forms of terrorism and emphasised the need for strengthening international cooperation in dealing with such challenges. “It is important to summon the political will to unhesitatingly combat terrorism, not permit terrorism to be justified or terrorists to be glorified. We must not countenance double standards in countering terrorism,” he said.

EU ambassador Hervé Delphin said that terrorism has found a new field of propagation through online digital activities. “Sharing knowledge, experience and expertise among friends and partners is vital to keep track and counter online radicalisation, while ensuring the right balance between security measures and citizens’ fundamental rights,” he said.

“The EU has been at the forefront of regulating social media companies and internet providers with a strong focus on human rights. We are happy to share our experiences, regulatory frameworks, and enforcement mechanisms,” he said.

Collaborating with India and countries in the region will enhance the collective capacity to combat transnational terrorist networks and develop effective strategies to counter terrorism and prevent violent extremism, Delphin added.

The meeting is also part of ongoing counter-terrorism engagement between the EU and India, and will build on recent activities held under the EU project Enhancing Security Cooperation In and With Asia (ESIWA), which have focused on combating drone terrorism, cybersecurity, and misinformation and disinformation.

On the Indian side, the conference will be attended by senior officials and experts from the ministries of defence and external affairs, Indian Army and police. The European participants will include top security practitioners from EU institutions and member states such as Austria, Italy, Estonia, Spain, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and France, and key agencies such as the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and European Counter Terrorism Centre (Europol).

The EU’s proactive measures in combating terrorism threats will be a focal point of the discussions. The EU’s Terrorist Content Online (TCO) Regulation, implemented in April 2021, the Digital Services Act (DSA) of February 2024, and the new EU platform on illicit content online (PERCI) by Europol will be highlighted as steps in regulating online spaces.

The EU and India held their first joint workshop on terrorism content online in February 2022, building on the counter-terrorism dialogue launched in November 2020. The dialogue has prioritised the regulation of terrorist content online.