India inked pacts with Gulf Countries for strategic, security demands: Krishna

New Delhi, Aug.18 (ANI): Union Minister for External Affairs S.M. Krishna on Wednesday informed the Lok Sabha that India has signed agreements with Gulf countries following strategic and security demands of the country in the last few years.

These agreements were signed between 2006-2010.

In a written reply to a question today in the Lok Sabha, Krishna informed: "India and Qatar have signed an Agreement on Cooperation in Security and Law Enforcement as well as an Agreement on Defence Cooperation in November 2008. Both agreements provide for the exchange of information and experts as well as for periodic discussion on issues of mutual interest."

"India and Saudi Arabia signed a MOU in 2006 on Combating Crime which provides for cooperation between the security agencies of the two countries for combating organized crime, including international terrorism, illicit trafficking of narcotics, weapons, and historical artifacts, and counterfeiting of currency and travel documents," he said.

"An Extradition Treaty was signed in 2010 which aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation against crime by facilitating extradition of accused and convicted individuals. This Treaty needs to be ratified by both sides before it would come into effect," he further informed. (ANI)