A visit well met

Deeply-rooted historical ties combined with a common language and culture have evolved into a modern robust partnership founded on sovereignty, equality, trust and mutual understanding.

India sees Bangladesh as a “close and valued neighbour” with rapidly growing capabilities. For India, Bangladesh is the converging point of its “Neighbourhood First” and “Act East” policies besides the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine and New Delhi’s Indo-Pacific vision. Bangladesh is also an indispensable partner in the development of India’s northeastern region. On the other hand, Bangladesh values its relationship with India as “a major neighbour,” “trusted friend” (PM Hasina’s words) and a key development partner. India is the largest market for Bangladeshi products in Asia.

It was not surprising that the first visit to India in Modi 3.0 was from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh. In a short span of ten years, PM Modi and PM Hasina have achieved more concrete outcomes in the relationship than in the previous forty years.  Little wonder that the two PMs referred to this period in the relationship as a ‘Sonali Adhyaya’ or Golden Era.

While the visit to New Delhi over the weekend was a short one, but it has packed in enough transformative elements to ensure that the two countries are crafting a relationship for the decades to come.

The visit was, in protocol terms, “a state visit” with a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhawan. It came exactly a fortnight after PM Hasina joined other leaders from India’s neighbourhood in New Delhi on 9 June to witness PM Narendra Modi being sworn in for a historic third consecutive term as India’s prime minister.

From that perspective, PM Hasina’s 21-22 June visit was not only the first bilateral state visit in PM Modi’s third but was also PM Hasina’s first bilateral visit abroad since she was re-elected to office in January. This is a significant statement of the importance both sides attach to the relationship.

To say that ties between the two countries have undergone a fundamental transformation in every sphere in the past decade would be an understatement.

Trade, security, connectivity, energy, digital connectivity, people-to-people exchanges and cultural ties – in each sector have seen sweeping and exhaustive changes.

Deeply-rooted historical ties combined with a common language and culture have evolved into a modern robust partnership founded on sovereignty, equality, trust and mutual understanding.

India sees Bangladesh as a “close and valued neighbour” with rapidly growing capabilities. For India, Bangladesh is the converging point of its “Neighbourhood First” and “Act East” policies besides the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine and New Delhi’s Indo-Pacific vision. Bangladesh is also an indispensable partner in the development of India’s northeastern region. On the other hand, Bangladesh values its relationship with India as “a major neighbour,” “trusted friend” (PM Hasina’s words) and a key development partner. India is the largest market for Bangladeshi products in Asia.

Indeed, in recent years, India-Bangladesh ties serve as a model for bilateral relations in South Asia and beyond. Sustained dialogue at multiple levels, including at the level of the PMs, have contributed to this. PM Modi himself pointed out that the two leaders have met 10 times in the past year.

During the visit, the two PMs laid the foundations of the next chapter in this dynamic relationship with 10 pacts being signed, providing direction, impetus and substance to strengthen bilateral and sub-regional cooperation.

In PM Modi’s words, the two countries have outlined a “futuristic vision” based on India’s ambition for a “Viksit Bharat by 2047” and Bangladesh’s national development goal of “Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041.”

The “India-Bangladesh Shared Vision for Future: Enhancing Connectivity, Commerce and Collaboration for Shared Prosperity” spoke of partnership in areas like environment and sustainability and blue economy. Given that the climate crisis is upon us, attention to these areas in the bilateral partnership is not only timely but imperative. It was also natural for the two countries to agree to work together on the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management pillar of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and cooperate to mitigate disaster risks.

With India and Bangladesh sharing 54 rivers and large sections of population of both countries dependent on these rivers, water resources management has been a priority for both nations. During talks, the two PMs agreed to prioritise exchange of data and formulating the framework for interim water sharing based on the recommendations of the Joint Rivers Commission.

With the Ganga Water Sharing Treaty – signed in 1996 for a 30-year period – coming up for renewal in 2026, the two countries have set up a Joint Technical Committee to initiate discussions for the renewal of this crucial pact. The signing of the pact has been held up as a landmark in bilateral relations, easing decades of tension and generating goodwill for India. In another watershed development, the two PMs also agreed to undertake conservation and management of the Teesta River inside Bangladesh with Indian assistance.

Joining hands for collaboration in a new area -- the space sector -- India will help launch a Bangladeshi satellite.

There is a special focus on collaboration in the energy and digital areas to power the economies of both countries. The joint vision document pledges expansion of energy collaboration with a promise to develop intra-regional electricity trade i.e. competitively priced power generated from clean energy projects in India, Nepal and Bhutan. This will be transmitted through a new 765 kV high-capacity interconnection between Bihar and Assam via Bangladesh, financed by India. The new line will not only provide the shortest route of transmitting surplus power from India’s North East region but also eases transit pressures on the narrow Siliguri corridor.

To provide a further fillip to trade, the two countries will start talks on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. The early operationalization of two Special Economic Zones offered by Bangladesh to India in Mongla and Mirsharai, the opening of new border-haats, trade facilitation to enhance bilateral trade, improving road, rail, air and maritime connectivity and trade infrastructure are some of the other steps under discussion to “transform our geographical proximity into new economic opportunities for our peoples.”

Connectivity has been a cornerstone of India-Bangladesh collaboration. It has also had a multiplier impact on trade and people-to-people ties. PM Modi noted that the two countries had restored all pre-1965 connectivity and more projects were to be implemented for seamless cross-border movement of people, goods and services. This connectivity boost would also include sub-regional initiatives that will help Bangladesh transport goods to Nepal and Bhutan through rail. The joint vision document welcomed a new passenger train service between Rajshahi and Kolkata and the decision to start a goods-train service from Gede-Darshana through Chilahati-Haldibari up to Hasimara via Dalgaon at the India-Bhutan border.

The two countries also reinforced a pledge to operationalize the long pending BBIN (Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal) Motor Vehicle Agreement to promote sub-regional connectivity. A new bus service from Kolkata to Chittagong is also envisioned.

Giving a boost to the defence partnership, the two countries will explore defence industrial cooperation for the modernization of the Bangladeshi armed forces. Joint military exercises, training and capability development will also be pursued.

For a decade and more, Bangladesh has been the largest recipient of India’s development partnership assistance in South Asia. The total quantum of soft loans extended by India totals about $ 10 billion. The two countries are now working on a new Development Partnership framework pact that “will expand the reach of our projects and programmes … and our long-term vision of closer connectivity.”

India will also expand its training for civil services personnel, judicial officers and others as part of India’s capacity building programme. During the current visit by PM Hasina, India has announced 350 training slots for Bangladeshi police officers. 

Enhancing the people-to-people connect has been a priority for both governments. This has been particularly so given the youth bulge in both countries. A welcome and much needed announcement from India to enhance the people-to-people connect was the extension e-Medical Visa facility to Bangladeshi nationals coming for medical treatment. A new Assistant High Commission of India in Rangpur (on Bangladesh’s border with North Bengal) is also to be opened to speed up consular and visa services for the people of the north-west region of Bangladesh.

While PM Sheikh Hasina’s visit and the relationship appear on steady ground, both sides have to be aware of the possible pitfalls. Increasing radicalism, fundamentalism and the ever-present threat of terrorism threaten India - across its borders into West Bengal and Assam - and the region. The more serious concern of an incremental but real Chinese increase in influence in Bangladesh’s polity and economy could lead to adverse consequences for India and Bangladesh.

Given the opportunities and challenges offered by a close and valued neighbour, with rapidly growing capabilities, Bangladesh is an indispensable partner for India. It is only natural therefore that India would want to nurture this relationship closely. For Bangladesh too, India has been a partner that has delivered in times of need. The tried and tested friendship between the two countries will no doubt scale new heights with the new initiatives announced during the Bangladeshi PM’s visit.

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The writer is former Foreign Secretary and High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh