Tuesday, September 6 2005 20:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India and China will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in intelligence sharing and exchange of security-related information during a five-day visit of Home Minister Shivraj Patil to that country beginning tomorrow.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in this regard gave an approval at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters here today.

The MoU on intelligence sharing and exchange of security related information is to combat crimes like terrorism. Patil's five-day visit is a bilateral tour at the invitation of Chinese Public Security Minister Zhou Yongkang.

On his first official visit to China, he will hold talks with Zhou and is likely to meet Premier Wen Jiabao there. Patil will also visit Beijing Police Training Academy and meet Shanghai Mayor besides attending a meeting on emergency response to calamities.

The issues to figure in the talks are cooperation in fight against terrorism, disaster management and public security. "The visit of the Home Minister is part of the process of continuing high-level bilateral exchanges and will contribute to the further development and diversification of bilateral relations in accordance with the Declaration of June 2003 and the Joint Statement of April 2005," the Indian Embassy has said in a press statement in Beijing.