Pacts on enhancing trade and investment besides culture, education and land connectivity, are expected to be signed during Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s two-day state visit to Bangladesh. The Prime Minister is leaving for Dhaka on Tuesday.
Briefing media, the Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai on Monday said that a broad-based agenda of cooperation has been put in place to enhance trust, cooperation and stability between the two countries and in the South Asian region. He said, substantial progress has been made on these issues and a number of decisions have been taken during Bangladesh PM’s visit to India last year. He said that the main focus is on settlement of boundary issues. He indicated that India may announce concessions during the PM’s visit, to balance the trade which is currently in favour of India.
The Foreign Secretary said that 13 out of 20 infrastructure projects have been finalised for speedy development of Bangladesh. He said, India has extended one billion dollar line of credit to that country for the purpose. Mr. Mathai said that chief ministers of Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram, will be accompanying the Prime Minister apart from Union Minister for Water Resources, Pawan Kumar Bansal and Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna.
On the objections raised by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee over sharing of water of Teesta river, he said, in a federal system, anything which involves the state and the Centre, the view of the state government is always taken into account.
AIR Correspondent says that the PM’s visit to Dhaka will be path breaking and dawn a new chapter of relationship between the two countries.
Prime Minister Dr Man Mohan Singh’s visit is being seen as of historic significance to both the countries as hopes are high that the relations between the two countries will touch a new heights.
While New Delhi expects to resolve the water and boundary issues and put an extradition treaty in place, Dhaka will be anxious to resolve issue of enclaves, enhanced connectivity and to boost trade.
Experts point out that the two countries may even go beyond and attempt to set up a regional sub-grouping involving Nepal, and Bhutan and even Myanmar to realise the full potential of economic relation.
With Asia emerging as an economic power house it is high time for the two countries to address all issues of mutual concern. This will make them equal partners in the growth story.
