A new chapter has been added in India-Bangladesh relations on Wednesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina inaugurated three projects.
The joint inauguration of these projects is a demonstration of the friendly relations and mutual cooperation between the two countries.
This has proved that friendly relations between neighboring countries can accelerate mutual economic development.
These projects also include an important rail link between Nischintapur in Tripura and Gangasagar in the neighboring country.
The other two projects inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi and Sheikh Hasina include the 65 km long Khulna-Mongla port rail line and the second unit of Maitri Super Thermal Power Plant in Rampal, Bangladesh.
The approximately 15 km long Agartala-Akhaura cross border rail link is expected to boost cross-border trade and significantly reduce travel time between Agartala and Kolkata via Dhaka.
This is the first rail link between the Northeast and Bangladesh. These projects have been prepared with Indian help. Relations between India and Bangladesh have been good from the beginning.
Bangladesh has strategic importance due to its geographical location as India’s eastern neighbor.
Bangladesh is India’s largest trading partner in the Indian subcontinent. India has civilizational, cultural, social and economic relations with Bangladesh.
India and Bangladesh share a border of 4096.7 km. This is the longest land border shared by India with any of its neighboring countries.
Assam, West Bengal, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura share borders with Bangladesh.
Bangladesh and India have achieved great success in recent times through mutual cooperation.
In July 2023, Bangladesh and India launched trade transactions in rupees with the aim of reducing dependence on the US dollar and strengthening the regional currency and trade.
Bangladesh has given India the opportunity to use Chattogram and Mongla ports and Chattogram airport.
Also, scope for regional cooperation has been created through Chattogram and Mongla ports.
There is a need to establish a digital connectivity corridor between the two countries focusing on high-speed internet connectivity, digital services and e-commerce.
There are still several major issues that need to be addressed in India’s Neighbors First policy to build new avenues of trade, cooperation and technology exchange.
