Modi-Hasina talks: India, Bangladesh ink 10 MoUs; defence ties get a boost
India and Bangladesh signed 10 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) following the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi, with both leaders endorsing a vision statement on peace and prosperity that underscored longstanding ties between the two nations. Three of the pacts were renewals of existing accords.
The Bangladeshi Prime Minister’s visit is the first by a head of state or government after the inauguration of the new Modi government and comes ahead of her trip to Beijing. The Modi-Hasina talks focused on boosting defence ties, management of the Mongla port in Bangladesh and cross-border power trade.
Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and Defence Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur (Bangladesh) will cooperate in the field of strategic and operational studies. ET had first reported last week that defence ties will likely get a boost at the meeting.
The Modi government has decided to send a technical team to Bangladesh for the proposed Teesta river conservation and management project, the Indian Prime Minister told reporters after the summit. China has shown interest in funding the Bangladesh plan to conserve Teesta river water that could cost $1 billion. There are also plans to construct a special economic zone (SEZ) in the area. The Indian move could serve as a counter to Chinese interest, experts said. The two sides “have kept connectivity, commerce and collaboration as our focus,” Modi said. The two sides had restored the connectivity that existed
