New Delhi [India], September 26 (ANI): India is set to take a significant leadership role in combating economic crimes and recovering illicit assets across the Asia-Pacific region. The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) will assume the presidency of the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network Asia Pacific (ARIN-AP) in 2026, marking a major milestone in India’s efforts to tackle financial crimes.
India joined the ARIN-AP Steering Committee in 2024, paving the way for its presidency. It will host the ARIN-AP Annual General Meeting (AGM) in 2026, showcasing its commitment to regional cooperation.
ARIN-AP focuses on tracing, freezing, and confiscating proceeds of crime, aligning with India’s G20 priorities. The network comprises 28 member jurisdictions and nine observers, facilitating cross-border cooperation.
Mongolia handed over the presidency during the ongoing 10th ARIN-AP Annual General Meeting at Ulaanbaatar, scheduled from September 23 to 26, 2025.
For India, this Presidency of ARIN-AP is not symbolic. It presents an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the strengthening of international cooperation in asset recovery.
While taking over the presidency of the network, Joint Director of Enforcement (Coordination), HQ, remarked in his acceptance speech that “ARIN-AP is not just a network but a family, a community and a forum where practical challenges are shared, where solutions are crafted collaboratively, and where trust is built across jurisdictions.”
Priority areas were also outlined in the speech, which India would focus on during its presidency, including strengthening swift, practitioner-to-practitioner contact between member agencies of ARIN-AP, building capacity and peer learning, and enhancing visibility and outreach through newsletters and success stories.
ARIN-AP is an informal platform of practitioners and experts aimed at strengthening cooperation in the identification, tracing, freezing, and recovery of criminal proceeds. The network enables direct exchange of information between contact points of member jurisdictions, thereby expediting transnational cooperation and enhancing the effectiveness of law enforcement action.
Currently, ARIN-AP brings together 28 member jurisdictions and 10 observers, operating within the broader framework of the Camden Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network (CARIN), which encompasses over 100 jurisdictions.
The Enforcement Directorate is the designated nodal agency for India within this network.
By hosting the ARIN-AP AGM in 2026, India will not only provide a platform for deeper agency-to-agency cooperation but also strengthen its role in shaping global policy and best practices on asset recovery.
The presidency will allow ED to deepen synergies with global initiatives, promoting stronger international partnerships in tackling Proceeds of Crime and sharing India’s expertise in combating financial crimes and money laundering.
It is worth noting that the Ministry of Home Affairs has also advised all central and state enforcement agencies to utilise the ARIN-AP platform for identifying assets derived from the Proceeds of Crime.
ED’s participation in ARIN AP supplements India’s participation in other multilateral forums such as the FATF, the G20, and the GlobE Network and reflects our belief that financial crime cannot be fought in isolation. These developments also reiterate India’s follow-the-money approach of deterring financial and organised crime by depriving criminals of enjoying their illicit gains.
They resonate with India’s vision, as manifested through the nine-point agenda against fugitive economic offenders, first presented by India at the 2018 G20 Summit, and the adoption of the High-Level Principles on MLA and Asset Recovery during India’s presidency. (ANI)
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