The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir recently led the Indian delegation to the High Level Meeting of Interior Ministers of the Indian Ocean Region to counter Drug Trafficking, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. In his address during the Meeting held on October 29, 2016, Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said that the illicit funds being generated from the sale of drugs are being utilized for funding terrorist activities and illegal arms trade. The problem of Narco-terrorism is assuming gigantic proportions, he added.Citing the recent attack on our security forces at Uri by terrorists having their safe havens in a neighbouring country, Shri Ahir said India reserves the right to protect its territorial integrity and sovereignty and has acted in self-defence in the past, whenever and wherever necessary. Underlining that India is committed to take on the demon of terrorism head on and take this fight to the finish, Shri Ahir said this would require concerted efforts by all the stakeholders as no country on its own efforts in isolation can meet the desired objectives.
Shri Ahir said that the increased presence of Naval Forces to counter the threat of terrorism in the Indian Ocean Region has resulted in significant seizures of Heroin consignments over the last two years. The efforts of the Indian Coast Guard, the Sri Lankan Navy and the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) have been especially noteworthy in this regard, he added. Stating that the Government of India has entered into Bilateral Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding with more than 30 countries for checking drug trafficking and that India has also taken multilateral initiatives to tackle transnational organized crime, Shri Ahir said India feels proud to be a part of the newly formed Indian Ocean Forum on Maritime Crime (IOFMC).The Colombo declaration adopted during the high-level meeting states that narcotic drug trafficking in the Indian Ocean poses a threat to peace and security in the region and its possible link to organized crime and funding of terrorism. It stresses upon the need for coastal states to cooperate more closely on enforcing maritime law, sharing information, and providing mutual legal assistance, including the expansion and development of communication through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC’s) Indian Ocean Prosecutors Network.
The declaration, which was issued a couple of days ago, called on the littoral states of the Indian Ocean to meet on an annual basis within the framework of the Southern Route Partnership (SRP) of IOFMC to assess and report on the drug trafficking threat in the Indian Ocean and develop a coordinated approach to counter such threats. The delegates also resolved to work towards making the Indian Ocean a “Drug Free Zone”.The high-level meeting in Colombo was attended by 18 littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region which included seven Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Interior/Home Affairs. The meeting was also attended by seven international organizations/partner agencies and UN agencies engaged in counter-narcotics initiatives in the region.