India-Bangladesh ties

GS paper 2

Syllabus: Bilateral, regional and global groupings involving India and Affecting Indian interests, India-Bangladesh relations etc

Source: The Hindu

Directions: Important for Prelims (mapping, organization, trade between two countries) and mains (Indo-Bangladesh relation).

Context: On the occasion of, Sheikh Hasina’s much-anticipated visit to India,  countries are expected to sign at least one major river agreement.

India-Bangladesh trade:

• • • Sixth largest trading partner: Bangladesh is India’s sixth largest trade partner with bilateral trade rising from $2.4 billion (two point four) in 2009 to $10.8 billion in 2020-21.
    • Industrial raw materials: Bangladesh imports critical industrial raw materials from India on which its exports are reliant.
    • World Bank working paper: Bangladesh’s exports could rise 182% under a free trade agreement.
      • This could become 300% if combined with trade facilitation measures and reduced transaction costs.
    • Service sectors: Bangladesh also could improve several manufacturing industries by leveraging Indian expertise in service sectors.
    • India and Bangladesh have expanded their partnership to include:
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Fintech
      • Cybersecurity
      • Startups
      • Connectivity

Projects to boost eastern India-Bangladesh connectivity:

• • • Economic growth: India’s connectivity projects with ASEAN and Bangladesh will open up the region to economic growth.
    • Joining IMT project: Bangladesh’s interest in joining the India-Myanmar-Thailand highway project.
    • Use of Bangladesh ports: India-Bangladesh bilateral waterway trade will get boosted as India can now use the Mongla and Chittagong
    • Use of Indian ports: India is rallying Bangladesh to divert its exports through Indian ports in place of Malaysian or Singaporean ports.
    • Train and bus connectivity: Three express trains and international bus services operate between India and Bangladesh.

Importance of Teesta for India and Bangladesh:

India:

• • • Important for farming: For West Bengal, Teesta is important to sustain its impoverished farming districts which comprise 12.77% (twelve point seven seven) of its population.

Bangladesh:

• • • Dependence on agriculture: For Bangladesh, the Teesta’s flood plains cover about 14% of the total cropped area of the country and provide direct livelihood opportunities to approximately 7.3% (Seven point three) of the population.

Role of China:

• • • Bilateral ties: China has been actively pursuing bilateral ties with Bangladesh.
    • Mega projects: Bangladesh had successfully approached China for a mega project to enhance the Teesta river water flow.
    • Rohingya issue: Bangladesh also requires China’s support in resolving the Rohingya refugee crisis.
    • Arms import: Bangladesh is the second biggest arms market for China after Pakistan.

Issues:

• • • Teesta water sharing: The two have failed to resolve long-standing issues such as Teesta water-sharing and killings at the border.
    • China factor: Chinese inroads into Bangladesh have been a cause of worry for India.

Conclusion:

Earn the trust and confidence across the spectrum: The prevailing perception in Bangladesh is that India’s goodwill towards the country is aligned to one particular political ideology or school of thought as opposed to Bangladeshi society at large.

• • • For India, the challenge is to earn the trust and confidence of Bangladeshis across the spectrum and strata.

Insta Links:

• Teesta River Dispute
• Land Boundary Agreement
• India-Bangladesh relations

Mains Link:

Q. Project ‘Mausam’ is considered a unique foreign policy initiative of the Indian Government to improve relationships with its neighbours. Does the project have a strategic dimension? Discuss. (UPSC 2015)

Prelims Links:

• • • Teesta river dispute
    • Land boundary agreement
    • Ganga and its tributaries
    • Rivers between India and Bangladesh
    • Mapping of India-Bangladesh border