The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), set to last until 2032, will cover the next four Olympic and Paralympic cycles.

"Increasing the visibility of the Paralympic Games and enhance the Paralympic brand," is one of three specific aims cited as part of the deal, along with "ensuring the financial stability and long-term viability of the IPC, the Paralympic Games and the Paralympic Movement". 

"Deepening existing cooperation", is also cited, specifically on the implementation of Olympic Agenda 2020, the strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement.

This should build-upon similar agreements signed ahead of London 2012.

“I am delighted that the IPC and IOC have agreed on the principles and vision behind a new long-term agreement that will further strengthen and support the Paralympic Movement in the years to come," said IPC President Sir Philip Craven.

"The IOC is the IPC’s number one strategic partner, and we are grateful to President Bach and the Olympic Movement for their continued support.

"We will now work together over the coming weeks and months to finalise the agreement which will take our partnership into a fourth decade and make the Paralympic Movement more self-sustainable.”

Olympic and Paralympic Games were first held in the same city in the same year in Rome in 1960 and again in Tokyo four years later.

Hosts largely differed in the 1970s and 1980s, but every summer and winter location has coincided since Barcelona 1992.

A specific cooperation agreement was first drawn-up in 2001 in order to enshrine the practice of "one bid, one city".

It reaffirmed that the Paralympic Games from 2008 would always take place shortly after the Olympic Games, using the same sports venues and facilities, and, from the 2012 bid process onwards, the host city chosen to stage the Olympic Games would also be obliged to host the Paralympics.

Sir Philip, who is due to stand-down in 2017, is currently the IPC representative on the IOC and chair of the IOC Olympic Education Commission.

The Paralympic Movement is also represented on Coordination Commissions and other panels.

There have been tensions, however, over how much the Paralympic Movement contributes to the Games, with this likely to have been addressed in the extended discussions.

“This agreement is an important milestone in the implementation of Olympic Agenda 2020,” added IOC President Thomas Bach.

“The IOC and IPC share the same goal of making the world a better place through sport, and I look forward to our two organisations working closely together to achieve this.

"The IPC’s focus on sport for all and on high-level performance will enable it to reach more and more people around the world, and to ensure the organisation's long-term success.”