BRICS National Security Advisors’ meeting is an important component of the BRICS Political and Security Pillar of cooperation. Under this meeting, the High Representatives on National Security deliberate on security issues such as Counter Terrorism, Cyber Security, peace & stability, transnational organized crime, as well as national security of BRICS countries.
National Security Advisors (NSAs) of BRICS countries have been meeting since 2009 to expand dialogue on security issues and exchange information on issues such as:
Cyber Security
The BRICS Working Group on Security in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) held its first meeting in June, 2015. The Information and Communication Technologies Working Group (ICT WG) discusses cooperation in the following areas: sharing of information and best practices relating to security in the use of ICTs, intra-BRICS cooperation using the existing Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRT); joint research and development projects and capacity building. Over the years, the ICT WG has proved to be a useful platform to deliberate on the creation of a peaceful, secure, open, cooperative, stable, orderly, accessible and equitable ICT environment in BRICS countries.
Counter-Terrorism
The BRICS Working Group on Counter-Terrorism held its first meeting in September, 2016 under India’s Chairship. The BRICS Counter-Terrorism Working Group discussed international and regional counter-terrorism issues and BRICS Counter-Terrorism cooperation to strengthen intelligence and information sharing, facilitate research and development on measures to combat terrorism and promote capacity building, including training, experience sharing, and technical cooperation in Counter-Terrorism efforts.
In November 2019, BRICS Working Group on Counter-Terrorism decided to constitute five sub working groups in the following areas: terrorist financing, use of Internet for terrorist purposes, countering radicalization, issue of foreign terrorist fighters and capacity-building.
At the Xiamen Summit in 2017, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi proposed the adoption of a BRICS Counter-Terrorism Strategy to give impetus to counter-terrorism cooperation betweenBRICS countries. This idea led to the adoption of the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Strategy at the 12th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, Moscow (held virtually) on 17th November, 2020.
The BRICS countries have elaborated this Counter-Terrorism Strategy with the aim of strengthening their cooperation on Counter Terrorism as well as international peace and security and making meaningful contributions to the global efforts of preventing and combating the threat of violent terrorism.
During the 10th Meeting of BRICS NSAs, held under the theme “BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth” in 2020, the participants had an in-depth exchange of views on key issues relating to global, regional and national security and security in the use of ICTs. NSAs also discussed the main areas of practical cooperation within BRICS on countering terrorism and violent extremism, transnational organized crime and illicit drug trafficking.