Question : AGREEMENT WITH GULF COUNTRIES

(a) whether the Government has entered into agreements with Gulf countries with regard to the strategic and security demands of the country; and

(b) if so, the details thereof and the major highlights of the agreement?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI S.M. KRISHNA)

(a) & (b): The Government has entered into agreements with the following Gulf countries with regard to the strategic and security demands of the country:

(i) 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.

(ii) 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. 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.