India, US to cooperate on law enforcement issues

India and the US have agreed to work together institutionally to ensure the best possible outcomes within the laws of the two countries on issues relating to law enforcement, counter terrorism and judicial processes.

Visiting Indian Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Attorney General Eric Holder agreed to such cooperation between the Home Ministry and the US Department of Justice during an "excellent meeting" Tuesday, according to the Indian Embassy.

Cooperation between the two departments would also address other pending issues relating to extradition, execution of Letters Rogatory and Red Corner Notices.

Shinde and Holder "recognized the compelling reasons for closer cooperation between India and the US based on the larger strategic objective underlined by President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during Obama's

State Visit to India in November 2010," the embassy said.

In a separate meeting with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Robert Muller, the two sides reviewed areas of cooperation and issues of interest, the embassy said.

"The FBI and Indian agencies have remained in close contact, and it was agreed that the process of inter-agency cooperation would be developed further, in this context."

Shinde and senior members of his delegation later left for a day long visit to Boston, where he is expected to have a detailed briefing on the successful investigation of the April 15 Boston Marathon bombing.