New Delhi: Without naming Pakistan, India and Russia stressed on the need to eliminate all safe havens for terrorists, and sought “credible, irreversible and verifiable” action against terrorists and terror groups.

The two countries made the assertion in a joint statement issued after the 11th meeting of the India-Russia Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism held here.

Cross border terror in South Asia was a key item on the agenda of 11th meeting of the India-Russia Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism.

The Indian side was led by Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, while the Russian delegation was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg V Syromolotov.

Both sides agreed that united efforts should be made to fight terrorism and terror financing at multilateral forums including the United Nations, BRICS, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

They condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and emphasized the need for strengthening international cooperation to combat terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner without any double standards, officials said.

They exchanged views on threats posed by terrorist entities globally and in their respective regions as well as ongoing concerns over terrorism in the South Asia region.

Both sides highlighted their efforts on some of the world’s most pressing counter terrorism challenges including countering radicalisation and extremism, misuse of internet for terrorist purposes, movement of foreign fighters and combating financing of terrorism including drug trafficking, officials said.

The two sides also deliberated upon measures to further strengthen and deepen counter-terrorism cooperation through intensifying exchange of information, regular meetings at experts level, sharing of best practices and capacity building efforts in all areas of mutual interest in accordance with the special and privileged strategic partnership that exists between the two countries.