The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and the Indian government signed the Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters on Monday, said a government news bulletin.

Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee, who was currently visiting New Delhi, and Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs M Ramachandran signed the pact.

Lee said the signing of the agreement marked an important step in fostering closer cooperation between Hong Kong and India in legal and judicial assistance.

"We welcome this development, and look forward to working in partnership with India in maintaining law and order in our two places," Lee said.

Hong Kong and India signed the Agreement on the Surrender of Fugitive Offenders in 1997, providing an effective mechanism for extraditing fugitives for the prosecution or the imposition or enforcement of a sentence in respect of extraditable offences.

The two places have also concluded the negotiation of the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement, he added.

The Mutual Legal Assistance signed on Monday was the 27th bilateral agreement of its kind concluded by the HKSAR with other jurisdictions.

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2009)