US envoy lauds U.S.-India cooperation in aviation security

New Delhi, Jan.21 (ANI): The United States and India are pleased to announce the formulation of the U.S.-India Aviation Security Working Group, a bilateral interagency and inter-ministry working group led on the U.S. side by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration and on the Indian side by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The group, conceived during the 2009 U.S.-India Aviation Partnership Summit held in Washington, D.C. in December, held its first set of meetings in New Delhi on January 20 and 21.

A Memoranda of Understanding were signed during the working group meeting to strengthen bilateral cooperation on aviation security.

U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer said: "The launch of the U.S.-India Aviation Security Working Group demonstrates our increasingly close cooperation on a range of security matters of critical interest to the people of both our countries."

In accordance with the bilateral goals as reflected by the U.S.-India Air Transport Agreement of 2005, the purpose of the working group is to build upon the strategic partnership between the U.S. Government and the Government of India to enhance international civil aviation security. The group envisions subsequent meetings to be hosted alternatively by each country.(ANI)