India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar is currently visiting neighbouring countries, Bangladesh and Bhutan. He was in Bangladesh on the 28th of April and reached Bhutan, today. His visit to Bangladesh was significant in further strengthening the relationship between New Delhi and Dhaka.
EAM Jaishankar met with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Abdul Momen. In his meeting with PM Sheikh Hasina, EAM Jaishankar conveyed PM Narendra Modi’s personal greetings to her and invited her to visit India, later this year in July. The EAM tweeted, “Thank Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her warm reception. Conveyed personal greetings of PM @narendramodi. Our bilateral relations are moving from strength to strength under the guidance of the two leaders.”
India-Bangladesh ties have strengthened year on year and also completed 50 years of diplomatic ties, last year. With focus on people-to-people connect, the two countries have decided to resume cross border bus and railway services, shortly after Eid. The initiatives taken by the two countries for the younger generation, such as the Bangabandhu-Bapu Digital Exhibition and Suborno Jayanti Scholarships for Bangladeshi students underline the deeping partnership between New Delhi and Dhaka.
Highlighting post-COVID recovery between India-Bangladesh relations, an MEA press statement mentioned, “It is also a matter of satisfaction for us that trade, disbursement of loans on bilateral projects, travel services and investment are at new heights and that they have recovered the momentum which was lost during the COVID.”
The meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdul Momen was also fruitful for the EAM. The two Ministers discussed avenues to take forward their neighbourly partnership and shared vision of the two countries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangaldesh tweeted, “Dr. Momen and @DrSJaishankar discussed the bilateral issues between Bangladesh and India. They expressed satisfaction about the ongoing Bangladesh and India cooperation, vowed to further strengthen the bilateral ties, stressed on regional stability for socio-economic development as a whole.”
The EAM mentioned, “As neighbours, the regularity and the informality and the cordiality of our interaction is a very good reflection of trust and confidence.” Thus, this visit to Bangladesh highlights New Delhi’s efforts in strengthening its partnership in the neighbourhood by building greater trust and confidence in the region.
