Cabinet approves signing of extradition pact with Afghanistan

India and Afghanistan will soon sign an extradition treaty to hand over each others wanted terrorists and other criminals with the Union Cabinet today giving its nod for the pact.

A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the signing and ratification of the extradition treaty between India and Afghanistan, an official statement said.

The treaty would provide a legal framework for seeking extradition of terrorists, economic offenders and other criminals from and to Afghanistan.

India has extradition treaties in operation with at least 37 countries, including Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, Netherlands, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Tunisia, UK, USA, Uzbekistan, UAE, Ukraine and Vietnam.

Extradition treaties define an offence as an extraditable offence if it is punishable under the laws in both the contracting states by imprisonment for a period of at least one year.