India, Russia ink internal security pact; new agreement to deal with terrorism, narcotics

Moscow: India and Russia on agreed to help each other in combating terrorism as the two strategic partners signed a key agreement, asserting that there are no good or bad terrorists and the menace should be fought jointly. The agreement between the two countries for cooperation in tackling all forms of terrorism was signed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Russia’s Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev after they held wide-ranging talks.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh met Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation in Moscow, Russia. pic.twitter.com/ASe73MGQ98

— ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2017

The ministers underlined that cooperation in the field of security is an important aspect of this bilateral relationship further strengthen cooperation to combat terrorism, extremism and radicalism, a statement issued by the Indian embassy said. They agreed that terrorism must be fought unitedly and there were no good or bad terrorists, it said. [caption id=“attachment_4098161” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Union home minister Rajnath Singh. AFP[/caption] “The new agreement between India’s MHA and Russia’s interior ministry will replace the October 1993 agreement between both the countries. This agreement will help in expanding and deepening cooperation on issues related to internal security,” Singh tweeted after signing the pact. The Indian embassy statement said the two leaders agreed to cooperate in combating new challenges, enhance the exchange of information, cooperate in building a database and in training of police and investigative agencies. Indian and Russian representatives also signed the joint action plan for countering the threat posed by narcotics and the agreement will provide legal framework for bilateral cooperation in this field. The pact was signed by Indian ambassador to Russia Pankaj Saran and deputy minister for internal affairs of the Russian Federation Igor Zubov in presence of Singh and Kolokoltsev. The agreement on internal security is an updated and more comprehensive agreement on cooperation on security between the MHA and the Russian ministry of interior. This pact provides a comprehensive approach for help in security-related issues, including information technology crimes, counterfeiting currency, illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, trafficking in human beings, economic crimes, crimes related to intellectual property, cultural property amongst others, the statement said. During the meeting, the ministers emphasised the strength of the relationship between India and Russia that has been consolidated in the past 70 years in all areas. Before leaving for Russia, Singh said India and Russia share a special relationship which has withstood the test of time over the decades. Singh was scheduled to visit Russia on 18 September, 2016, but he had cancelled it following a terror attack on that day at the Brigade headquarters in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 19 army soldiers were killed