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Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 12
Identifying “countries of concern” with respect to India’s security, the Centre has cautioned state governments “not to directly deal with them in any form” on matters relating to internal security.
It also suggested that action on any such direct communication to them from the identified countries must be routed through the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Sources said the MHA had recently written to the states asking them to direct police forces “not to facilitate or entertain” any such requests from organisations or agencies from “countries of concern” without prior consultation with it. The letter, sent to all chief secretaries, said: “It has come to the notice of the MHA that some foreign organisations/agencies from countries of concern are extending invitations for mutual cooperation, training, joint exercise, exchange of views etc., directly to state/Union Territory (UT) police without routing such requests through this ministry.”
A senior MHA official said there always existed standard operating procedures (SOPs) and this is just a reiteration. As per the SOPs, for any interaction with foreign entities, states are required to take approval from the Ministry of External Affairs in general and in case of security-related issue from the MHA. After completing the interaction, the states were required to submit a report, he said.
Noting that this is not the first time that such an advisory has gone to states, former diplomat KC Singh said in the present case mention of “organisations and agencies” was a “new thing”.
The directive
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