India [ Images ] on Wednesday joined the ten-nation ASEAN security pact.

India's accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation was signed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee [ Images ] and heads of state or government of the ASEAN countries at the second India-ASEAN Summit in Bali.

Significantly, China, which like India is a dialogue partner of the grouping, also joined the 1976 treaty, under which members pledge respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, non-interference in the internal affairs of one another and peaceful settlement of intra-regional disputes.

The treaty was amended in 1998 to allow countries outside ASEAN to accede to it with the consent of all the 10 member nations -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mayanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The Joint Declaration on Terrorism [ Images ] initialled by External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha [ Images ] and ASEAN foreign ministers envisages exchange of information, cooperation in legal matters, free cooperation in enforcement matters, institutional capacity building and training to combat the scourge.

External Link: 9th ASEAN Summit