By Aroonim Bhuyan, IANS,
Doha : India and Qatar will share information on terror threats and money laundering and also exchange defence experts for the security of the Arabian Gulf region under two new agreements that were signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to this Gulf nation.
The two agreements – one on security and law enforcement and another on defence cooperation – were signed Sunday evening after the arrival of Singh here, the first ever by an Indian prime minister to Qatar.
The security and law enforcement agreement lays out the framework for sharing of information and database on threats posed by terrorists, money laundering and smuggling of narcotics.
The pact on defence cooperation lays out a structure for training programmes by the two sides, exchange of goodwill missions and experts.
The security and law enforcement agreement was signed by Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed and Qatar’s Minister of State for Internal Affairs Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al-Thani.
The defence agreement was signed by Defence Secretary Vijay Singh and the Chief of Staff of the Qatar Armed Forces Hamad Bin Ali Al-Attiyah.
Prior to the signing of the agreements, Singh and Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabor Al-Thani held a meeting in which the two sides also discussed means to enhance existing ties of cooperation in the fields of energy, economy and trade.
Singh held a meeting with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Monday, the last day of his two-nation Gulf tour.