NEW DELHI, Sept 1: India and the United States concluded their sixth meeting on counter-terrorism on Wednesday, that discussed among other issues, the cross-border terrorism in South Asia.

A joint statement at the end of the two-day talks in New Delhi said the two sides also disucssed the situation in Afghanistan. The Indian delegation was led by Ms Meera Shankar, Additional Secretary for International Security in the Ministry of External Affairs. The American side was led by Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism in the US Department of State, Ambassador J. Cofer Black.

"The discussions included an assessment of the current international terrorism situation, a review of the US-led operations in Afghanistan and a review of the trends and concerns about the situation in South Asia, including cross-border terrorism," the statement said.

The two sides shared assessments about the increase in arms and narcotics trafficking in the region and the linkages between trafficking in narcotics and financing of terrorism.

The destabilizing impact of these linkages was a matter of growing concern to both countries. Both sides agreed that, even as the challenge posed by international terrorism continues to mutate, it is important for the international community to strengthen counter-terrorism co-operation to effectively meet this challenge.