India woos Bangladesh on Teesta amid China push
India has expressed interest in financing Bangladesh's Teesta economic zone project amid reports that China is also keen to finance the venture.
India's interest in a dredging and development project, which envisions to turn the Teesta river belt into a zone of economic activity, was expressed when foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra met Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, foreign minister Hasan Mahmud and his counterpart Masud Momen in Dhaka.
«You know we have taken on a big project on Teesta. India wants to finance this project. It will have to be implemented in line with our needs. We want to see our needs fulfilled,» Mahmud told reporters after his meeting with Kwatra on Thursday. Teesta is a major transboundary river between India and Bangladesh.
The visit in the backdrop of China's growing footprints in Bangladesh, including in the defence sector, was also aimed at finalising Hasina's proposed India visit in June or early July, within weeks of the formation of a new government here.
Mahmud said Hasina will definitely visit India. Asked whether she would go to India or China first, the Bangladesh foreign minister said New Delhi is close to Bangladesh in terms of geographical distance, indicating that Hasina will visit India before China.
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