New Delhi: One of the key items that will figure on India’s shopping list during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States later this month will be hi-tech surveillance equipment for Ind-ia’s top security and intelligence agencies.
Sources said that India will seek assistance from top US security and intelligence agencies, both in terms of technology and information, to help fight terror particularly in wake of growing threat from al-Qaeda in the Indian sub-continent.
Ever since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack there has been greater cooperation between the US and Indian security agencies particularly after the involvement of David Coleman Headley came to light.
Since Mr Modi’s visiting is likely to add several new dimensions to the Indo-US relations security is being seen as one of the key areas that would witness enhanced co-operation between the two countries.
Sources claimed that India will not only seek sophisticated equipment for its agencies but also professional training by US organisations to further enhance its capacity to fight terror.
Even when the recent video of al-Qaeda’s top commandant Ayman Al Zawahari surfaced threatening India and the sub-continent the US security agencies had already tipp-ed off their Indian counterparts.
“We definitely need more sophisticated equipment to surveillance and snooping to keep a check on activities of terror outfits. We will also seek help from the US to provide us good hardware for cyber security also since most terror outfits are now relying heavily on the cyber space as well,” a security official said.
Another reason, sources added, the US would be willing to help India in its fight against terror is that America is concerned ov-er the growing influence of al-Qaeda and the Taliban in the entire reg-ion once it starts withdrawal of it troops from Afghanistan from 2015.
