India-Bangladesh Partnership: As a ground foundation for South Asian Security
- Posted on June 22, 2024
- News
- By Arijit Dutta
- 156 Views
India and Bangladesh's partnership flourishes across economic, defense, energy, and cultural domains. With robust trade relations, strategic cooperation, and infrastructure development initiatives, their alliance stands as a model for bilateral relations in South Asia, shaping the region's future.
In a region where political realignments are the rule of the game, the India-Bangladesh partnership is one of the most striking examples of a sound and symbiotic relationship in South Asia. These events show that this partnership remains vibrant, profound, and widespread, though it has significantly influenced the economic and strategic dynamics of the region.
Economic Ties Flourish
The economic cooperation in the bilateral context has improved to new level and Bangladesh has become the biggest trading partner of India in South Asian region. At the same time, India has further cemented its bilateral trade status as the second largest South Asian nation trade partner of Bangladesh. Bangladesh exports around $2 billion worth of products to the Indian market for the fiscal year 2022-23, which indicates that both countries have maintained strong ties in trade.
Strategic Defense Cooperation
Lying astride the longest international border India has with any of its neighbors that stretches 4,096 kilometers. 7 km – In the field of defense India and Bangladesh share good relations. This does not only include common military cooperation but also includes vital areas such as anti-corruption measures, fighting against drug trafficking and, in particular, combating human trafficking issues.
Energy security has gradually emerged as a major political issue of concern in the international arena.
Energy cooperation can now be considered one of the key pillars of the bilateral cooperation. As of now the import of power from India by Bangladesh is 1,160 MW which clearly shows the energy diplomacy both the countries. The construction of the India Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline has been completed in march 2023 through which HSD is transported to Bangladesh.
Infrastructure and Connectivity Boost
The past decade has also witnessed an improved attempt to increase the integration between the two countries. The introduction of the sixth border railway connection – Agartala-Akhaura between India and Bangladesh in November, 2023 can be regarded as the new significant step in this process. Also, the implementation of an agreement that has enabled transit cargo through Chittagong and Mongla Ports in Bangladesh has provided new dimensions for transportation cooperation.
It’s, therefore, important to strengthen the development partnership and cultural exchange between the two countries.
The government of India has been assertively supporting Bangladesh economically through offering approximately $8 billion Lines of Credit in the last eight years. This financial support has played a great role in fulfilling the infrastructural needs of Bangladesh in all sorts of sectors.
It also involves human resource development aspect; about 800 participants from Bangladesh get scholarships every year for taking India’s Technical and Economic Cooperation programme. The relations have been firmed up culturally through measures such as the Bangladesh Youth Delegation program under which 100 members paid a visit to the neighboring country in February, 2024.
This paper finds that India and Bangladesh can indeed serve as a model for other countries when it comes to bilateral relations in South Asia as both countries are still grappling with regional and international issues. This complex and profound symbiosis and respect for each other as a people with historical ties could be an important factor in the development of the future of the region.
