India and Sri Lanka Wednesday inked seven pacts, ranging from security to development, and discussed steps being taken to rehabilitate displaced Tamils, a process which New Delhi wants to be expedited. During wide-ranging talks here, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa briefed Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about his government's efforts to resettle nearly 300,000 Tamils displaced due to the war with LTTE. Singh is understood to have emphasized on speeding up the process of resettlement and devolution of political powers to ethnic Tamils, according to a report of the Press Trust of India. The two leaders also discussed a host of bilateral and international issues, including an expansion of economic ties, energy security and increased cooperation in areas of development and counter-terrorism. After the meeting, seven pacts were signed to boost bilateral cooperation across a range of areas, including security, power, railways and cultural exchange.
