Australia, India share online jihadi radicalisation worry

He said the bilateral defence relationship would be built around increasing participation in military exercises. “We have invited India to participate in our Pitch Black exercise. I am hopeful that India will, at least, send its observers to the next Pitch Black exercise, if not as a participant. We are also looking at expanding the range of exercises but this will happen step by step,” he said.

[related-post]

Andrews and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar agreed at their meeting Wednesday evening that Australia and India would establish an annual defence and foreign secretaries meeting. The first meeting will be held in 2016.

Andrews also met national security adviser Ajit Doval and shared increasing concerns over jihadi radicalisation and terror activities in Australia.

He said more than 120 Australians had gone to fight for the Islamic State and his country was working on ways to revoke dual citizenships and cancel passports of such people.

On his meeting with the NSA, Andrews said increasing online radicalisation worries both countries, which realise the two governments can work together to counter it.

India and Australia have a working group on counter-terrorism. It met in Delhi last week to formalise strategies and cooperation to counter increasing radicalisation of youth by jihadi groups.