India and Bangladesh on Saturday here reviewed the entire gamut of their bilateral ties during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Sheikh Hasina. They agreed to start negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement and prepared a futuristic vision for boosting overall relations. .
Hasina is the first foreign dignitary to pay official visit to New Delhi since Modi assumed charge for the first time earlier this month.
She was among the seven top leaders from India's neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean region who attended the swearing-in ceremony of Modi and the Union Council of Ministers on June 9.
Addressing a joint news conference with his Bangladesh counterpart after talks at Hyderabad House, Modi announced that India will commence an e-medical visa facility to facilitate Bangladeshis seeking medical treatment to come to India. He also said both countries have agreed to open a new Assistant High Commission in Rangpur for the "convenience of the people of the North West region of Bangladesh."
Modi said the two countries are focusing on connectivity, commerce and collaboration. He said the two nations will enhance focus on digital and energy connectivity to spur their economies.
Hasina said India is Bangladesh's major neighbour and trusted friend. "Bangladesh greatly values its relations with India," she said and invited Modi to visit her country. "Come to Bangladesh to witness what all we have done and plan to do," she said.
Modi said after parleys with Hasina they discussed furthering defence ties, defence production, cooperation on counter-terrorism, management of the border and other issues, in their bilateral talks in New Delhi.
He said the neighbouring country is situated at the confluence of New Delhi's Neighbourhood First Policy, Act East Policy, Vision Sagar and Indo-Pacific Vision.
"To further strengthen our defence ties, we had detailed discussions from defence production to modernisation of armed forces. We have decided to strengthen our cooperation over counter-terrorism, fundamentalism and peaceful management of the border.
“Our vision for the Indian Ocean Region is the same. We welcome Bangladesh's decision to join the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. We will continue our cooperation at BIMSTEC and other regional and international forums," Modi said.
He further said the two countries have together completed many important projects for public welfare. "Trade in Indian rupees has started between the two countries. The world's longest river cruise on the Ganga river between India and Bangladesh has been successfully completed. The first cross-border friendship pipeline between India and Bangladesh has been completed.
Export of electricity from Nepal to Bangladesh through the Indian grid has become the first example of sub-regional cooperation in the energy sector. Implementing such a big initiative in so many areas in just one year reflects the speed and scale of our relations," he said.
The Prime Minister said the two countries are focusing on connectivity, commerce and collaboration. He said the two nations will enhance focus on digital and energy connectivity to spur their economies.
"Both sides are ready to initiate talks on CEPA to take our economic ties to new heights...54 rivers connect India and Bangladesh – we have cooperated over flood management, early warning and drinking water projects. We have decided to initiate technical-level talks on the renewal of the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty. For the conservation and management of Teesta river in Bangladesh, a technical team will visit Bangladesh soon," he said.
Modi said India and Bangladesh have prepared a futuristic vision, which includes green partnership, digital partnership, blue economy and space.
"We have met 10 times in the last one year. However, this meeting is special because Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina is the first state guest after the third term of our government,” he added.
"Bangladesh is India's largest development partner, and we give utmost priority to our relations with Bangladesh," he said. Sheikh Hasina was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
After arriving in New Delhi on Friday, Hasina met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and had a discussion on several bilateral issues. Posting about the meeting on X, Jaishankar said, "I am delighted to call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh this evening. Her state visit to India underlines our close and abiding ties. I appreciate her guidance on the further development of our special partnership."
The overall strategic relationship between India and Bangladesh has been on the rise for the last few years.
Under India's "Neighborhood First" policy, Bangladesh has been an important ally of the nation, and the cooperation between the two countries extends to several important areas, including security, trade, commerce, energy, connectivity, science and technology, and defense, among others.
The achievements in the connectivity sector include Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the Maitri Setu bridge over the Feni River in Tripura and thus launching the Chilahati-Haldibari rail link.
Bangladesh is India's largest development partner with nearly one-fourth of New Delhi's commitment under the Line of Credit has been made to that country.
The neighbouring country is India's biggest trade partner in South Asia and India is the second biggest trade partner of Bangladesh in Asia.
India is Bangladesh's largest export destination in Asia, with approximately USD 2 billion of Bangladeshi exports recorded to India in 2022-23.The two countries share 4096.7 km of border -- the longest land boundary that India shares with any of its neighbours. There is active cooperation between various agencies of both countries to cooperate on police matters, and anti-corruption activities and to combat illicit drug trafficking, fake currency, and human trafficking, among others.
