India, China likely to conclude negotiations, ink an agreement on security cooperation by March next year
India and China will soon set up two joint working groups to deal with the Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) and a round-the-clock hotline to exchange information related to terror and organised crimes.
The issues were discussed threadbare by a Chinese delegation led by Vice-Minister of Public Security Fu Zhenghua and an Indian delegation led by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi in New Delhi.
"Both sides discussed the setting up of two Joint Working Groups to deal with the FICN and the setting up of a 24x7 hotline to exchange information. They also discussed issues relating to e-Visa, telecom fraud and security matters," a Home Ministry statement said.
India and China are also likely to conclude negotiations and ink an agreement on security cooperation by March next year. The proposed pact will ensure cooperation on tackling transnational crimes and cyber crime.
Later, when Meng Jianzhu, Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China, and his delegation met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said terrorism poses the gravest threat to international peace and security.
PM Modi and Meng, a top aide of Chinese President Xi Jinping, discussed issues of mutual interest, including bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation.
The Prime Minister welcomed increased cooperation between India and China on counter-terrorism related matters, the statement said.
The Prime Minister said the intensive exchange of high level visits between India and China over the last two years was heartening and such visits contribute to building strategic understanding between the two countries.
Hosting a dinner for the visiting leader, Home Minister Rajnath Singh last night sought China's support to efforts to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar as a terrorist under a UN resolution, help nab ULFA chief Paresh Barua and curb fake Indian currency notes.
Raising India's concerns on terrorism, the Home Minister appealed to Meng to support the international community's efforts to designate Masood Azhar, chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed, as a dreaded terrorist under the UN Resolution 1267.
China has twice blocked India's efforts to include Azhar, alleged mastermind of the terror attacks on Pathankot air base and an army camp in Uri, on the UN's sanctions list containing names of individuals and groups linked to the al Qaeda or ISIS.
Underlining that Pakistan is patronising and financing terrorist groups, Mr Singh said leaders of terrorist groups including JeM leader Azhar, Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul Mujahideen leader Salahuddin roam freely in Pakistan and preach terrorism.
Even Tehreek-e-Taliban and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, blamed for terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, were financed and sponsored by the ISI, he told the Chinese leader.
The Home Minister also solicited Beijing's support to flush out ULFA leader Barua, who is believed to be taking refuge in the trijunction between India, Myanmar and China, to face trial in India for heinous crimes including murder.
Mr Singh also asked China to clamp down on arms smuggling to insurgent groups operating in India's Northeast.