HOME MINISTER PREVIEWS COUNTERTERRORISM

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 001978 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PK IN SUBJECT: HOME MINISTER PREVIEWS COUNTERTERRORISM COOPERATION AGENDA WITH AMBASSADOR Classified By: Ambassador Timothy Roemer for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (S) SUMMARY. Home Affairs Minister P. Chidambaram shared with Ambassador Roemer September 18 a provisional list of five opportunities for further cooperation gleaned from his visit to Washington, including on forensics, large city policing, real-time intelligence sharing, coastal security, and rail and metro security. Chidambaram deferred to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) about how to package these items as possible deliverables for Prime Minister Singh's November 24 visit to Washington, and responded favorably to Ambassador Roemer's suggestion that they might be bundled into a "Law Enforcement Training and Technology" package. Chidambaram said he had requested Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner's support for India's membership in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF),adding that ndia was having some luck in gaining support from other members. END SUMMARY. Washington Visit Generates Opportunities for Cooperation - - - ¶2. (C) Home Affairs Minister P. Chidambaram discussed with Ambassador Roemer September 18 his extremely positive visit to the United States and a provisional list of follow-up issues for Indo-U.S. cooperation on counterterrorism and law enforcement. Chidambaram effused about his program in Washington and New York, remarking that "so many in both the Executive and Legislative Branches found time to meet" and praising the visit for running "like clockwork." He was particularly impressed with the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC),which underscored for him India's need to begin moving toward a more information technology-based system. ¶3. (C) Chidambaram shared five follow-up items from his visit: (1) forensic science lab cooperation; (2) New York Police Department (NYPD) best practices on policing 'megacities'; (3) real-time intelligence sharing; (4) Coast Guard exchanges; and (5) Amtrak training on rail and metro security. ¶4. (S) Chidambaram expanded on several points. NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly offered to send an expert to help the Ministry rapidly upgrade its use of technology. Home Ministry officials were ready to discuss a memorandum of understanding on intelligence sharing, including advanced counterterrorism technology, with Embassy officials "the sooner the better." He underscored the increase in infiltrations across the Line of Control and noted that Kashmir had just experienced the first car bomb in three years. When the Ambassador inquired about gaining access to a recently captured Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) terrorist suspect in New Delhi, Chidambaram saw "no reason" India could not share intelligence about captured LeT operatives, observing, "Terrorists are targeting both of us." On coastal security, he noted the vulnerability of India's western coast, home to several petrochemical facilities and "only two or three hours from the Middle East." He shared how "impressed" he was by Amtrak security procedures. Chidambaram envisioned a team visiting Delhi to share best practices with the Delhi Metro, which would then scale up this knowledge to the six or seven other urban metro systems commencing operations in the coming years. Chidambaram focused on "studying systems" that were effective in the U.S. to apply them in India. Planning for Prime Minister Singh's Visit - - - ¶5. (C) Though enthusiastic about cooperation on these issues, Chidambaram stressed that had not yet discussed his visit with Prime Minister Singh and deferred to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) about how his follow-up items might be NEW DELHI 00001978 002 OF 002 packaged as possible deliverables for the PM's November 24 visit to Washington. He shared that MEA planned a coordination meeting in the coming days to discuss deliverables for the visit. Ambassador Roemer recommended bundling these items, if not as part of a counterterrorism MoU, then perhaps as part of a "Law Enforcement Training and Technology" package. Chidambaram confessed to not understanding what was so "sensitive" about cooperation on these issues suggesting that the political climate had changed considerably and he believed working on a CT MOU was very helpful to both countries. He did mention a caution that "too much cooperation" on counterterrorism and law enforcement matters might be politically sensitive in the future. India Ready for FATF Membership - - - ¶6. (C) Chidambaram said he had asked Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner to support India's candidacy for membership in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Noting that India received remittances of USD 45 billion annually, he remarked, "What is the FATF without India?" He blamed a lack of understanding of India's federal structure among states with a unitary constitution as a reason for India's exclusion. He said European governments had been "dense" about India's membership, but that "the clouds are now clearing." He noted, for instance, that The Netherlands has promised to support India's membership. The FATF Secretariat had visited and was "reasonably satisfied" with India's progress, but that it would have to go back and convince others. Finance Ministry officials had told him that India had done all that was required and asked that we inform him if this was not the case. (COMMENT. The FATF will undertake a mutual evaluation of India in November/December, which will be the definitive assessment of whether India has met the membership criteria. The FATF membership has been supported by the United States and sought by India. This could be a key "deliverable" for the Prime Minister's visit and packaged in a CT MOU or Law Enforcement, Training, and Technology Agreement. The Department of Treasury needs to inform us if there are remaining issues and inform the GOI about how to overcome them. END COMMENT.) ROEMER