India, Israel discuss border security, terror threats

New Delhi: Amid continuing cross-border firing and infiltration from Pakistan, India and Israel have discussed how to ensure foolproof security along the international border by using sophisticated technology, besides enhancing security cooperation, officials said.

The two-day meetings of the India-Israel joint steering committee on homeland and public security, which concluded today, also discussed how to step up cooperation to deal with the grave threat that terrorism poses, including by non-state actors, to peace and security.

India and Israel discussed threadbare how to ensure proper security along the international borders by using modern gadgets like electro-optical sensors and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a Home Ministry official said.

Following the September 2016 terror attack on an army camp in Uri, Israel had offered India its expertise for strengthening border fencing, stressing that the two countries share similar challenges on many fronts, including cross-border terrorism.

In a statement, the home ministry today said the objectives of the meetings were capacity building and modernisation in the police forces besides border management.

“Both sides agreed to work out the modalities to address these issues. The discussions were held in a friendly atmosphere and it was agreed to maintain sustained interactions to enhance security cooperation between the countries,” it said.

The meeting follows the resolve of the prime ministers of both the countries to combat the grave threat that terrorism poses to peace and security including from non-state actors, and with an aim to enhance cooperation and boost the bilateral relations, the statement said.

Israel’s Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon, who led the Israeli delegation, tweeted: “Just concluded 2successful days of #Homeland and #PublicSecurity ,#steeringcommittee, #workinggroups ,w/field trips near #Delhi.Strong participation of #MHA & #InterMinisterial teams from both countries.We can all be very proud of our respective pros & experts”.

The Indian team was headed by additional secretary in the home ministry T V S N Prasad.

During a trip to Israel in 2014, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had visited one of the border out-posts in Gaza and praised that country’s border management plans.

Israel is now using electro-optical sensors to collect information via UAVs, an official said.

Sensors are used to collect data and information from towers along borders. The sensors were integrated with a command and control room operated by an officer, who directs the Israeli special forces in order to mitigate incoming threats.

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