New Delhi, Feb 21 : The Union Cabinet today gave its ex-post-facto approval for the bilateral agreement signed on November 12, 2007 at Moscow between India and the Russian Federation on cooperation to combat illicit trafficking in narcotics, psychotropic substances and their precursors.

The agreement will help in mutual cooperation in the regulation of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific use and in combating drug trafficking.

Such bilateral agreements have already been executed with various countries such as the USA, Afghanistan, Mauritius, Russian Federation, Myanmar, Zambia, UAE, Egypt, China, Iran, Bulgaria, Romania, Italy, Tajikistan, Turkey, Lao PDR, Israel, Bangladesh and Kuwait. (ANI)