India, UAE sign security pact, to cooperate against terror, crime mafias

Home Minister P. Chidambaram and and his UAE counterpart Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan signed the agreements, the second one being on transfer of sentenced persons to their own countries.

The two leaders also held discussions on "issues pertaining to bilateral security cooperation between two countries", a home ministry spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the agreement on security cooperation seeks to strengthen and develop the existing bilateral framework and mechanism to enhance ties in areas such as "combating terrorism in all forms". The pact also seeks to address activities of organised criminal groups, such as mafias involved in cross-sea drug trafficking, illicit trafficking in weapons, ammunition, explosives and initiatives on training of police personnel.

The agreement on transfer of sentenced persons provides the framework to facilitate their social rehabilitation in their respective countries by giving citizens, who have been convicted and sentenced, the opportunity to serve the sentence in their own society.

The two sides reiterated their commitment for enhanced cooperation in the investigation of mutually relevant criminal cases and sharing of relevant information on them.