India wants ‘close coordination’ with Bangladesh to face new security threats

Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla has sought greater security cooperation with Bangladesh’s law enforcing agencies, including the armed forces, to fight a “common battle” against terrorism.

Speaking at the National Defence College in Dhaka on Tuesday, he said regional peace and stability was of “utmost importance” against the backdrop of enhanced economic cooperation that terrorism tried to undermine.

He said security perceptions had changed with terrorism emerging as “a major challenge”.

“New challenges call for enhanced security cooperation between our armed forces; police and law enforcement agencies; close coordination on the ground,” he said, referring to a terrorist attack in  Dhaka earlier this month and reiterating India’s support to Bangladesh.

The High Commissioner was speaking on “Contemporary India, its Foreign Policy, Security Strategy & Bangladesh-India Relations”. NDC Commandant Lt Gen Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy was present, among others.

This was his first address to the NDC after taking up his Dhaka assignment this year.

He condemned the terrorist attack in Dhaka earlier this month and said the armed forces played “a valiant role in effectively subduing the terrorists”.

He reiterated the Indian government’s resolve to stand by Bangladesh in the fight against terrorism, which posed “a challenge to the fabric of our societies".

The very aim of these groups was to "undermine any positive development”, he said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated that India will stand by Bangladesh against terrorism and is willing to offer any support required,” he said.

Shringla highlighted facets of India’s foreign policy, showing their links with domestic development aspirations.

He particularly explained new initiatives such as Smart Cities, Make in India, Skill India and Digital India launched in the last two years of the Modi government.

He reiterated India’s demand for the reform of the UN Security Council which, he said, was an “important element” for a “fair and just global order”.

But, he said, along with the “broadening of foreign policy objectives, the concept of security has also changed in recent times”.

“Viewed not merely in terms of existential threat to security but dominated by quest for capital, resources, technology, capabilities and best practices.

“In conventional security studies paradigm, security was understood through the prism of securing borders against the enemy. The definition of security has widened as new threats have emerged—energy, cyber, water security.”

He said terrorism had "emerged as a major challenge” in a changed security perspective, citing attacks India faced in recent decades.

“Bangladesh has also faced some serious challenges from terrorism and is an invaluable partner in our fight against terrorism,” he said.

The High Commissioner also highlighted a whole range of India-Bangladesh engagements particularly after the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.

“There is a renewed effort to revive the pre 1965 linkages and restore the connectivity which had existed earlier,” he said.

“India and Bangladesh share a special relationship," said, adding that the "understanding in India is that India can only prosper if Bangladesh prospers".

“Our foreign policy goals are common: it is to meet our development requirements; to fight the scourge of terrorism and extremism which seeks to destroy the fabric of our societies,” he said.
 
“India and Bangladesh are partners in progress and development”.