UNSC meet in India to begin its deliberations in Mumbai is a message in itself: MEA

Mumbai, Oct 26: India is currently the Chair of the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee for the year 2022 and will host diplomats of the 15-nation UN body along with other member states for a special meeting in Mumbai and New Delhi on 28 and 29 October.

The UNSC meet at Mumbai's Taj Hotel holds a special significance as it was one of the main targets of a 10-member team from the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) that unleashed a three-day wave of carnage in India's financial hub in November 2008.

Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said at a press conference on Wednesday that the larger purpose of this unprecedented meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee in Mumbai will resonate with rest of the world because what happened in 2008 was an attack on what would be the identity of India in financial & commercial space.

''A city which reflects the best of India in terms of its economic development in recent years. The fact that the CTC has agreed to begin its deliberations in Mumbai is a message in itself,'' he noted.

Verma also said UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will be among foreign ministers who will attend the inaugural session of the meeting in Mumbai.

The meeting will focus on dealing with use of internet, new payment mechanism and drones by terrorists, Ruchira Kamboj, Indian envoy to UN said.

The last time such a meeting was held in Spain's Madrid in 2015.

The meeting will begin with a 'Soft Opening Session and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism' in Mumbai on October 28 through a solemn ceremony at Hotel Taj Mahal Palace, where the current 15 and incoming 5 members of the UN Security Council will pay homage at the 26/11 memorial site.