New Delhi ~ 17th October

India and the United States today signed a new Bilateral Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters. The visiting U.S. Secretary of State Mr. Colin Powell and the Union Home Minister Shri L.K. Advani signed the treaty on behalf of their respective Governments. The signing of the Treaty marks an important step forward in India-US law enforcement and counter-terrorism co-operation. The Treaty will enhance the ability of the two countries to pursue their common objective of law enforcement by putting in place a regularized channel for obtaining law enforcement assistance from each other. Such a channel will simplify and expedite the process of obtaining responses to requests for assistance. It will also improve implementation of the bilateral Extradition Treaty between the two countries that entered into force on July 21 1999.

During discussions between the two delegations that led to the conclusion of this Treaty this morning both sides expressed their determination to redouble efforts to eradicate the scourge of terrorism and to use this Treaty as an instrument to that end. It is both governments' common view that the "Political Offense" exception to mutual legal assistance should not apply to violent terrorist attacks against non-combatant targets.

Similarly the Treaty constitutes an important step in the efforts of both countries to work together to combat other serious crimes. While the two countries have co-operated in the past in the fight against such crimes this treaty will provide a broader legal basis and enhanced procedural mechanisms to enable both countries to provide assistance in connection with the investigation, prosecution, prevention and suppression of these offenses. The United States and India look forward to bringing this important Treaty into force in the near future and to strengthening their cooperation in law enforcement.