India, Pakistan to sign missile launch pre-notification pact

Consolidating the peace process, India and Pakistan will sign agreements on pre-notification of missile tests and setting up of a communication link between maritime forces besides considering a slew of confidence building measures during the four-day visit of External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh to Islamabad beginning Sunday.

With India seeking handing over of 20 terrorists and criminals, including Dawood Ibrahim, it is expected to push for signing of an Extradition Treaty and Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty during the talks Singh will be having with his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri.

The two countries will also revive after 16 years the Joint Commission under which cooperation in the fields of trade, energy, telecom, security, visa and consular access to detained nationals of the respective countries will be covered.

India Pakistan joint statement

The issue of continued cross-border terrorism and infiltration, dismantling of the terror infrastructure will be raised by India which is also likely to press for liberalisation of visa regime, allowing of trade through land route and transit facility for goods.

Agreement on pre-notification of missile tests and establishing of communication link between Indian Coast Guard and Pakistan's Maritime Security Agency, which will be signed during the visit, have been decided by the two countries at the last round of Defence Secretary-level talks in New Delhi recently.