India is likely to finalise a security-related agreement with China next week during the visit of Meng Jianzhu who is an important politburo member of the Chinese Communist Party and deals with issues related to internal security.
Though modalities of the agreement are still being worked out between ministries of home affairs and external affairs as well as the PMO sources said the security arrangement will largely focus on bilateral issues between the two countries. With both China and India emerging as important global economies the emphasis will largely be on economic and financial frauds as well as white collar crime. The increasing use of cyber space for criminal activities will also be covered under the arrangement in addition to reaching an understanding on the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty between the two countries.
There is a strong possibility that both sides will reach an understanding on sharing information and data related to terror incidents and activities.
However, this will largely be on a bilateral and reciprocal basis between just India and China.
It seems unlikely that China may give any assurance on supporting India at multilateral global forum on terror issues, particularly when it relates to Pakistan.
China has blocked India’s attempts to ban and get Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Mualana Masood Azhar a designated global terrorist by the United Nations. “The security pact will largely focus on criminal activities in the two countries and is not likely to extend to a multilateral forum specially if Pakistan is involved. The issue of transgression by security forces of both countries may also be left out as there is a separate mechanism at the level of NSA for this. But the fact that we are engaging with China on security related issues is an important beginning,” a senior security official remarked.
Sources said some of the issues that may be included in the final agreement were also discussed during a meeting of National Security Adviser Ajit Doval with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiech in Hyderabad on Friday.
