India boasts 'win-win' Bangladesh ties with 'record' number of bilateral instrument mechanism

The visiting Indian foreign secretary has said that the bilateral cooperation with Bangladesh is based on a “win-win formula” for both countries which now host the record number of bilateral instruments.

“Both our countries, therefore, attach the highest priority to continuing the strong momentum in our bilateral relations,” Vijay Gokhale said as Bangladesh and India now host a record number of bilateral instrument mechanisms in all areas of cooperation.

“We need to sustain and enhance the current levels of cooperation to serve our common interests,” he said, speaking at a seminar on India, Bangladesh relations and way forward on Monday, the second day of his first visit after assuming the office on Jan 29.

The relationship is also based on “mutuality of interests”, he added.

Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the visit comes at a “critical juncture” when both governments are in the final year of their tenure. “Its time to review what we have achieved in the last five years and what we can do together in future”.

The foreign secretary said if “we look back to take stock of where we were in our bilateral relations just a decade ago and where we stand today, we can discern the extraordinary progress made”.

He referred to the fact that since 2010, over 100 agreements have been signed, including 68 agreements in the last three years alone.

Most of these agreements were the initiation of cooperation in new, high-technology areas such as space, civil nuclear energy, IT and electronics, cyber-security, and blue economy.

“The very act of venturing into newer and unconventional areas of cooperation is symbolic of our mature partnership,” he said.

On Monday, after the bilateral talks, both countries also signed another six documents, including the implementation MoU on the friendship pipeline between Numaligarh and Parbatipur, MoU on cooperation between Prasar Bharati and Bangladesh BETAR, MoU for setting up an ICCR Urdu Chair in Dhaka University and an Addendum to the GCNEP-BAEC Interagency Agreement.

Gokhale said both countries are “fortunate to have political leaders on both sides who are willing to go the extra mile to take the relationship to newer heights for the benefit of our people, our countries and the region.”

He, however, said challenges were to be faced together.

“One such challenge is that of terrorism, extremism and radicalisation, which both countries are committed to fighting,” he said.

“We are both determined to protect our societies from the ideologies of hate, violence and terror by adopting a 'zero tolerance' policy towards terrorism and a comprehensive approach to fighting violent terrorism and extremism at all levels.”

He said India is also “aware” of a few outstanding issues which both sides are committed to resolving at the earliest opportunity, in an obvious reference to the pending Teesta water sharing issue.

“The new standards of bilateral cooperation between India and Bangladesh are already redefining the parameters of bilateral and regional cooperation that other countries may well seek to emulate,” he said.

Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi speaking at the seminar said the relations are now at a stage that both leaders – Hasina, Modi – can directly call and talk about any issue.

Even at the official level, he said they can directly pick up the phone and talk with their counterparts to solve any issue.

The foreign secretary will leave Dhaka on Tuesday morning.