India Bangladesh Ties On The Upswing

-
India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla was on a two day visit to Dhaka. He carried Prime Minister Modi’s message for Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Indian Foreign Secretary was personally received by her. He is the first foreign dignitary that she has received after many months given the outbreak of COVID19 pandemic. Bilateral exchanges between New Delhi and Dhaka in the last few months were conducted through virtual meetings. Given the fact that South Asian economies are severely affected by the pandemic, the visit assumes significance. The Indian Foreign Secretary also met with Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen during his visit.

During the hour long meeting between Indian Foreign Secretary and Bangladesh Prime Minister, both the countries discussed the ways and means to restart the existing connectivity network, cooperate and update each other on the development on COVID19 vaccine and jointly conclude the ongoing “Mujib Borsho” celebrations. They also discussed shaping up the post COVID19 strategy for overcoming economic challenges that the two countries are facing. India also proposed to restart the Joint Consultative Council which is at the level of Foreign Minister that oversees various Indian funded projects in Bangladesh and discusses various bilateral issues between the two countries. India has proposed a virtual meeting to restart the process since they last met in February 2019. India has also proposed to create an ‘air bubble’ between the two countries to facilitate the visits of businessmen, government officials and those seeking medical treatment in India. It needs to be mentioned here that Bangladesh topped the list of the countries whose citizens come for medical treatment in India. Bangladesh also discussed the scope for trials of the Indian vaccine for coronavirus in Bangladesh. Dhaka is discussing this matter with other countries of the world in its effort to fight the pandemic.

In July, India took several steps to normalise trade relations with Bangladesh which has been affected by COVID19. After more than two-months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, cross-border trade between the two countries resumed in June. India handed over 10 diesel locomotives to Bangladesh under its grant assistance programme. There were many firsts in India Bangladesh relations in the month of July; the first trial voyage of a container ship from Kolkata to Agartala and Karimganj via the Chittagong port, since its stoppage, 55 years ago; carrying a large cargo of steel bars and pulses was conducted. The first “time-tabled” and electronically sealed rake of 50 operated from Guntur (in Andhra Pradesh) to Benapole in Bangladesh carrying chillies and fabrics. Parcel vans and containers have now been added to the existing modes of transportation.

One of Dhaka’s major concerns has been the presence of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. Time and gain Dhaka has brought this to India’s attention and has emphasised the larger regional security implications due the presence of these displaced people. Dhaka has requested India to use her good offices for impressing upon Myanmar to take back the Rohingya refugees. India has been supportive of Dhaka’s effort and has underlined through various statements that Myanmar needs to take back the Rohingyas. New Delhi also supports an early and safe repatriation of Rohingyas with dignity. To facilitate their return, India gifted 250 prefabricated houses which were built as part of an agreement with Myanmar. India also supplied aid to the Rohingyas living in Bangladeshi refugee camps under operation “Insaniyat”.

It is not surprising that the relationship has been defined as ‘shonali adhyay’ (golden age) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is held as a ‘role model in the region’ by External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar. This sentiment has been reciprocated too by Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen who defined Bangladesh’s ties with India are historic, rock-solid and as blood relations. The Indian Foreign Secretary’s visit to Bangladesh during the COVID19 situation only underlines the strength of the bilateral ties.

Script:Dr Smruti S Pattanaik, Research Fellow, IDSA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Data Darbar Suicide Attack

-
The deadly attack on the famous Sufi shrine Data Darbar in Lahore on the second day of the holy month of Ramadan that killed 10 and injured more than 25 people is yet another ghastly reminder that Pakistan still shelters terrorist groups that have now come to haunt its own State. The suicide bombing was apparently targeted towards the elite security force that was assigned to guard the Shrine as the inflow of devotees increase during Ramadan. This is not the first time a Sufi Shrine was targeted by terrorists in Pakistan. Many Shrines like Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan, Baba Farid in Pakpattan and Abdullah Shah Ghazi in Karachi were attacked in the past. The Sufi nature of these shrines has made them an easy target of the terrorist groups that consider Sufis to be heretics. The terror organisations within Pakistan such as the Pakistan Taliban, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Hizbul Ahrar (said to be a splinter faction of the local Taliban) that took responsibility for the latest bombings in...
Read more

Military Build-Up In The Persian Gulf

-
In response to the attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman last week; the US Department of Defence announced that it is sending an additional 1,000 troops to bolster security in the Persian Gulf. This comes amidst the escalating tensions in the region following US decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPoA) in May 2018. The US also re-imposed economic sanctions on Iran and last month ended all waivers for Iranian oil imports. President Donald Trump further decided to impose new sanctions and warned of secondary sanctions on individuals or entities doing business with Iranian industries under sanctions. Iran too had responded with warning other signatories of the JCPoA, especially UK, France and Germany, to do more to ease the impact of sanctions on Iranian economy failing which Tehran will be forced to retract from the deal. This prompted the US to send additional troops including Arlington and a Patriot missile battery. At ...
Read more

Pakistan’s Crippling Financial Crisis

-
As if the turmoil due to terrorism was not enough for Pakistan, it is facing fresh spate of demonstrations against unprecedented inflation that is putting the already crippling economy out of gear. Inflation is expected to rise to double-digitssoon. The major reason for this has been the steep rise in food and energy prices that has had a cascading effect on the process of other commodities. Pakistan’s imports are increasing and Foreign Exchange reserves have fallen to just about $8 billion; this is just enough for meeting payment obligations for two months. The exchange value of the Pakistani Rupee has fallen to 150 to a US dollar.It has been devalued 20 times during the past three years by about 20%. Since Pakistan is importing major part of its fuel requirements and many other commodities of daily consumption; steep inflation has led to almost halving the incomes of the people. This has led to large-scale public unrest in the country. Street protests led by Jamaat-e-Islami in Pesha...
Read more