Stepping up efforts against terrorism, India and China have decided to exchange experiences on anti-hijacking, hostage situations and other terror-related crimes.
They have also decided to coordinate positions on anti-terrorism endeavours at regional and multilateral levels as part of a memorandum of understanding on information-sharing and counter-terrorism signed between them on Thursday during the visit of Home Minister Shivraj Patil in Beijing.
Patil, who is in China on a five-day official visit, said that the MoU signed between the ministry of home affairs and China's ministry of public security entails, for the first time, closer co-operation between the security agencies of the two countries in 'controlling' and 'containing' international terrorism.
The two sides have agreed to strictly implement the MoU, Patil told reporters on Friday. Describing his 100-minute discussions with his Chinese counterpart Zhou Yongkang, state councillor and minister for public security, as 'fruitful', Patil said the two sides had exchanged views on how to control and contain terrorism.
The two sides have decided to exchange experiences on anti-hijacking, hostage situations and other terrorism-related crimes, the sources said.
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The two sides also decided to co-operate to prevent and suppress transnational crimes such as money laundering, crimes against wildlife, illegal production, distribution and trade in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, illegal dealing and trafficking in firearms, ammunition and explosives, forgery of passports and visas, as well as cyber crime.
The two ministries also agreed to strengthen co-operation in the areas of training and capacity building and enhancing exchanges between law enforcement agencies of the two sides.
They also agreed to co-operate between Interpol National Central Bureau, India and Interpol National Central Bureau, China, in a mutually beneficial manner. Patil, who concluded his visit to Beijing on Friday, said he was satisfied with the commonality between him and his Chinese counterpart on major issues of common concern.
He also said that the Chinese public security minister has been invited to visit India next year and that the latter has agreed to consider the invitation.
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