Thaindian News

New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS) India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Wednesday enhanced their security cooperation by signing two agreements, including one on combating terrorism and organised crimes.

Home Minister P. Chidambaram and his UAE counterpart Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan signed the agreements, the second one being on the transfer of sentenced persons to their own countries. There are around 1,200 sentenced Indian prisoners in the Gulf nation.

The two leaders also held discussions on “issues pertaining to bilateral security cooperation between two countries”, a home ministry spokesperson said here.

The spokesperson said the agreement on security cooperation seeks to strengthen and develop the existing bilateral framework and mechanism to enhance ties in areas such as “combating terrorism in all forms”.

The pact also seeks to address activities of organised criminal groups, such as mafias involved in cross-sea drug trafficking, illicit trafficking in weapons, ammunition, explosives and initiatives on training of police personnel.

The agreement on transfer of sentenced persons provides the framework to facilitate their social rehabilitation in their respective countries by giving citizens, who have been convicted and sentenced, the opportunity to serve the sentence in their own society.

Indian Ambassador M.K. Lokesh said in Abu Dhabi that there were 1,200 Indian prisoners in UAE jails.

Those who have been sentenced will have a choice to spend the remaining term in India, Lokesh told reporters Tuesday.

The two sides reiterated their commitment for enhanced cooperation in the investigation of mutually relevant criminal cases and sharing of relevant information on them.