India will help France strengthen its security during the Paris Olympics 2024. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) held discussions with their French counterparts to chart out plans to send delegations to Paris ahead of the mega sports event.
Teams of counter-terror and homeland security will be sent to the city to provide expertise on ways to secure the event.
India will help France handle terrorism and extremism that the country has been witnessing in the recent past and is being seen as a potential threat during the Olympics which will see the participation of athletes and other high-profile individuals from all across the world.
According to a report by the Economic Times, India will be part of an international contingent of like-minded countries to provide security expertise during the sporting event.
Officials from MHA said, “India has unearthed several Islamic State (IS) and Al Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) modules across India with their international linkages. The elite National Security Guards along with other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) successfully conducted G-20 events in the national capital.”
France seeks help from allies to bolster security
Meanwhile, France has also reached out to its allies and has asked them to send several thousand members of their security forces to help secure the Paris Olympics.
“Several foreign nations are going to reinforce us in certain critical areas, such as dog-handling capabilities where the needs are enormous,” an official at the defence ministry told AFP on condition of anonymity.
While it is not clear how many countries have agreed to send their security forces to the city, Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed his country was joining “an international coalition established by France.”
An official in the French interior ministry said separately that Paris had asked 46 allies to send 2,185 police reinforcements.
What’s France doing?
Meanwhile, French government figures suggest that up to 45,000 French police and gendarmes are set to be deployed each day during the Olympics, while 18,000 troops are also expected to be mobilised.
Another 18,000-22,000 private security guards will be on the ground for the Games, which run from July 26 to August 11.
In an interview with BBC Sports, Paris Olympics Chief Tony Estanguet said that the Games will be protected by an “unprecedented” security operation and that preparations are going in “good shape.”
With inputs from agencies
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Indian counter-terror team to help France secure Paris Olympics 2024
