India, Pakistan ink security exchange pact

New Delhi, Feb 4 : India and Pakistan on Monday inked an agreement to exchange security information.

The accord clears the way for regular contacts between India's military-funded Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA) and Pakistan's state-run Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS).

"The purpose is to build channels of communication at the level of scholars, because exchanges of security studies had been limited because of the strained ties we have had," ISS director Shireen Mazari said at a signing ceremony in New Delhi.

IDSA head Narendra Sisodia, a former Indian defence secretary, termed the pact as landmark saying "except for contacts at international forums, we never had open discussions on security issues."

According to the accord, the two think tanks will send experts to participate in state-sponsored workshops in the two countries and would later engage in joint military research projects, the Dawn reported.

Sisodia, however, cautioned the agreement between the IDSA and the ISS would not replace any official dialogue.

ANI