India-Australia sign 5 deals

Canberra: India and Australia Tuesday signed five agreements, including on exchange of sentenced prisoners and on tourism, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott held bilateral talks here.

The agreements are on social security, to "strengthen people-to-people contacts and facilitate and regulate the regulations between the two countries with respect to social security benefits and coverage".

"It will provide for social security and superannuation benefits for those who have been residents of the other country on basis of equality of benefit, export of benefits and avoidance of double coverage." an official statement said.

"It will lead to greater economies and promote the flow of professionals," the statement said.

The agreement on transfer of sentenced prisoners is to "enhance cooperative efforts in law enforcement and administration of justice and to cooperate in the enforcement of penal sentences".

"It will facilitate, regulate and lay down procedures for the transfer of sentenced persons and enable rehabilitation and reintegration of sentenced persons into society," the statement said.

The MoU on Combating Narcotics Trafficking and Developing Police Cooperation, is to "address concerns regarding illicit trafficking and drug abuse".

The fourth agreement is on Cooperation in the Field of Arts and Culture, and "will promote cooperation through exchange of information, professional expertise, training and exhibitions in the field of culture".

The fifth agreement is in the field of tourism, to encourage "interaction between tourism stakeholders, training and investments in hospitality sector and promote the importance of the tourism sector in economic development and employment generation", the statement added.