New Delhi, April 4 – India and Bangladesh are set to establish a new framework for cooperation in areas such as security, counter-terrorism, and connectivity.
Relations between India and Bangladesh were fully reset following the elections, in which the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) Tarique Rahman was elected as Prime Minister.
Back channels worked tirelessly to ensure this reset, and now, the visit by Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman to India will be closely watched. This visit is significant and will further define the relationship between India and Bangladesh.
During his two-day visit, Rahman will meet with External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval.
The meeting with Dr. Jaishankar will pave the way for a visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to New Delhi in the coming weeks.
The meeting between Rahman and Doval is important as several critical issues will be discussed. Security cooperation is a key area that will be discussed in detail, an official said. India and Bangladesh share a long border, and various issues, such as illegal immigration, will be discussed. The two nations are already cooperating on this front, but the meeting will further enhance this aspect, the official said.
The visit also comes at a time when the conflict in West Asia is disrupting the global energy and supply chain. Another official said that this meeting is also aimed at enhancing regional stability.
Counter-terrorism and border-related issues will be top of the agenda. India and Bangladesh have already agreed that the border should be a zone where no illegal activity takes place. During the Doval-Rahman meeting, the discussions will focus on enhancing border security and effective management.
Access to the Indian market for Dhaka will be discussed during these meetings. Smoother transit of Indian goods through Bangladesh to the Northeast will also be on the agenda.
India and Bangladesh will also discuss ways of securing the Bay of Bengal as a crucial alternative for trade and energy transit. Officials say that this is an important point to be discussed, given the situation in the Persian Gulf.
Another official said that this visit is not just a courtesy call. It will lay the groundwork for long-term ties between the two countries. The visit by the Bangladesh Foreign Minister will pave the way for the bilateral between Prime Ministers Tarique Rahman and Narendra Modi, the official added.
Analysts say that this visit is also aimed at building long-term trust between the two nations. The situation in Bangladesh had been volatile for around 18 months after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. India has maintained that it wants to maintain good ties with its neighbours and also insisted that stability and peace in Bangladesh are of utmost importance.
Other issues that will be discussed include water sharing and imbalances relating to trade. These will be discussed during Rahman's visit, and a final agreement will be reached when the Bangladesh Prime Minister visits India.
Intelligence sharing will also be a key topic of discussion. This is important to keep those involved in counterfeiting, illegal infiltrations, and cattle smuggling at bay. The India-Bangladesh border has been notorious for such activities, and curtailing the same is of utmost importance. Intelligence sharing becomes a key topic of discussion.
