India will work with Bangladesh to move beyond the quota-free, duty-free regime to facilitate trade between the two countries, and address the adverse trade imbalance Bangladesh is facing.

India pledged to expedite border infrastructure and interlinking through railways, roads, waterways and coastal shipping to boost the volume of trade between India and Bangladesh.

This was stated by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in her talk on 'India-Bangladesh Relations: Framework for Development' at the Bangladesh Institute of International & Strategic Studies in Dhaka late last evening. She also announced a grant of Rs. 60 crore for small development projects in the current financial year.

On the border management issue, the Minister said India will not only continue efforts to bring down border killings to zero, but also establish peace, stability and good will, and discourage illegal activities like smuggling,and trafficking.

Expressing gratitude for Bangladeshi co-operation in tackling transborder crime, she said the India-Bangladesh co-operation in this regard is a model for rest of the world to emulate.

The visiting Minster is scheduled to meet BNP Chairperson, Khaleda Zia and Opposition Leader Roushan Ershad this morning before leaving Dhaka this afternnon.