India and the US signed an MoU to enhance cooperation in cybercrime investigations in Washington DC on Saturday amid a rise in cyber attacks in recent times.

As per the Ministry of External Affairs released statement, the MoU allows the respective agencies of the two countries to step up the level of cooperation and training with respect to the use of cyber threat intelligence and digital forensics in criminal investigations.

The MoU was signed by Ambassador of India to the United States,  Vinay Kwatra and Kristie Canegallo, the Acting United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS).

"From India, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is responsible for execution of the MoU. From the US side, it is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and its constituent agencies the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Homeland Security Investigations Cyber Crimes Center (C3)," read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Cybercrime has intricate linkages with the common security challenges faced by India and the US, such as terrorism and violent extremism, terror financing, drug trafficking, organized crime, human trafficking, illegal migration, money laundering and transportation security, MEA said.

MEA said the MoU on Cybercrime Investigations will enable further strengthening of India-US security cooperation, as part of our comprehensive and global strategic partnership.