India, Philippines to sign extradition pact

India and the Philippines on Tuesday agreed to exchange information and intelligence to fight terrorism and decided to sign an extradition treaty to deal with it.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo discussed the issue on the sidelines of the two-day 9th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which began on Tuesday.

PM at ASEAN Meet and in Thailand

The Filipino justice minister will soon visit India to work out details of the treaty, external affairs ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna said while briefing reporters on the bilateral meetings Vajpayee had with Arroyo, Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and Bali Governor Dewa Made Beratha.

"When we see it (terrorism), we recognise it," Arroyo told the PM.

Significantly, the Philippines president, an ally of the United States, also sought an increase in defence cooperation with India. The recent visit of Indian Army chief General N C Vij to Manila also came up during the discussions.

During her 30-minute meeting with the Indian PM, Arroyo sought cooperation with India in the energy sector and expressed keenness in converting buses and motorcars in the Philippines to compressed natural mode.

In another move to enhance business and trade ties with India, Arroyo agreed to grant visas to Indian nationals in third countries, the spokesperson said.

During his meeting with Vajpayee, the Bali governor referred to last year's nightclub bombing, which killed over 200 people.

Despite that, according to the governor, tourism was picking up in Bali.

Beratha presented an idol of Lord Ganesha to Vajpayee.