- Intro- Indian not only shares the longest land border with Bangladesh but also shares common history, language, religion, culture. Infact the relationship between India and Bangladesh has been described as “Fraternal Friendship.”
- Bangladesh is at the intersection of India’s Act East and neighbourhood first policy-Modi.
- issues:
- Many Naga insurgents and Pak backed Terrorists find refuge in Bangladesh. Though Sheikh Hasina’s govt has cooperated with India in locating them and handing over to India, these gains are reversed when the govt of Khalida Zia comes and cooperation between Bangladesh and Pakistan increases.
- Since Bangladesh is surrounded by India on three sides geography has become the root of the problem- water and land issues.
- NRC issue has caused sharp reactions from civil society and administration in Bangladesh.
- China factor- Bangladesh has procured max defence systems from china. China has also given $24B LOC (three times that of India)
- It is said Bangladesh is India’s mexico problem (illegal flow of migrants)
- Teesta issues
- right now 78% of teesta divided equally b/w india and Bangladesh and 22% undivided. If India is able to solve this issue, it would strengthen India’s image in Bangladesh
- Sheikh Hasina- Teesta is the litmus test of India Bangladesh relations
- Bangladesh’s sensitivity over Tipaimukh project on the Barak river
- Significance of India Bangladesh partnership-
- Geopolitical-
- Security of north east: A friendly Bangladesh can ensure that its soil is not used for anti-India activities. Bangladesh’s action resulted in the arrest of many top leaders of Northeast insurgent groups like ULFA and national Democratic front of Bodoland
- Connectivity of north east to sea through B’desh—>Akhaura-Agartala rail line
- Bangladesh has expressed interest to join IMT trilateral highway
- Important pillar of Act East policy. It is a bridge between south and south east Asia
- BIMSTEC
- BBIN MVA
- Strategic location in bay of Bengal and Indian ocean
- Fighting terrorism promoted by groups linked to Pakistan
- Economic
- India helping b’desh in development of Inland water transit and trade
- Bangladesh is India's biggest trade partner in south Asia- $10 B in 2018-19. Heavily tilted in India's favour with just $1 B worth of imports
- Both countries negotiating on CEPA
- 3 LOC have been extended in the past amounting to $8 B for development of infrastructure in various sectors including roads, railways, shipping and ports, construction of India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline.
- 4 border haats
- Resolution of Maritime boundary issue and Land boundary agreement in 2015 have removed major hurdles in the bilateral relationship
- Rooppur atomic energy plant Built by Russia and manpower training provided by India
- India exports 600MW of electricity every day to Bdesh.
- extension of National Knowledge Network to Bangladesh
- DG level talks between BSF and BGB for security and border management
- Connectivity
- Maitree express And Bandhan Expresss
- Dhaka-Darjeeling bus services
- Akhaura Agartala rail line
- Maitri setu between Sabroom in India and Ramgarh in Bangladesh
- Provides chittagong and monglaports to India to connect to north east
- India provides training to Bangladeshi police officials, judicial officials, courses for students at IITs
- Bangladeshis account for most number of tourists to India, particularly medical tourism
- when Modi visited Bangladesh last week, he was not only celebrating 50 years of Bangladesh’s liberation war and India-Bangladesh diplomatic ties, he was also marking an important inflection point in Bangladesh’s evolution as an economically dynamic and politically stable South Asian state which can, along with India, become a driver of regional momentum.
- India’s relations with Bangladesh is a “role model” in International affairs, said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla
- Conclusion-PM Modi said India Bangladesh relations are passing through Shonali Adhyaya (golden period)
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