Sushma Swaraj promises to resolve irritants between India, Bangladesh ‘sincerely’

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has promised to sincerely resolve “irritants” between Bangladesh and India.

She said the relations between the neighbours are now outstanding, and that both countries are working to resolve these irritants in the spirit of “friendly relations and with right intention”.

She did not specify the nature of the issues, but the water sharing of common rivers, particularly the Teesta, has long been pending between the neighbours.

“I can assure you we [both countries] will solve all irritants with sincerity [Imandari ke sath],” she said, speaking in Hindi at India’s new chancery complex in Baridhara before leaving Dhaka.

She said Bangladesh comes first among all of India's neighbours as part of the neighbourhood policy adopted by her government. She also referred to the peaceful solution of the land boundary as well as maritime boundary issues.

Swaraj came to Dhaka to attend the fourth joint commission meeting with her Bangladeshi counterpart AH Mahmood Ali.

She inaugurated 15 India-funded development projects during her visit to Bangladesh.

She also formally inaugurated the chancery complex.

Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali, Health Minister Mohammed Nasim, Environment and Forests Minister Anwar Hossain Manju, Prime Minister's Political Affairs Adviser HT Imam, Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque and Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla were present on the occasion.

Sushma left Dhaka around 1:30pm and was seen off by Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque.