EDITORIAL ANALYSIS : What connects India and Bangladesh

Source: Indian Express

• Prelims: Current events of international importance(India-Bangladesh relations, SAARC, Teesta water agreement etc
• Mains GS Paper II: Bilateral, regional and global grouping involving India, Significance of Indo-Pacific for India etc

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

• The Bangladesh Prime Minister visited India last year.
  • PM assured Bangladesh PM of maximum cooperation in
    • communication
    • security
    • uniform river water distribution
    • border management
    • trade expansion
    • power and energy sectors.

INSIGHTS ON THE ISSUE

Context

India-Bangladesh Relations:

• Shared culture and ethnicity with West Bengal: Bangladesh is closely linked to India through its shared culture and ethnicity with West Bengal.
• Bridge: The language, a slightly varied dialect of Bengali, acts as a bridge between East India, North East India and Bangladesh.

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.

Steps by Bangladesh for cooperation:

• Bangladesh’s Minister of Liberation War Affairs handed over the Liberation War Award to the families of 12 martyred members of the Indian Armed Forces in Fort William, Kolkata.
• The process to honor 1,582 Indian Army personnel martyred during the war is on.
• 200 Mujib scholarships among the family members of the Indian Armed Forces who participated in Bangladesh’s liberation war.
  • The Prime Minister of Bangladesh handed over 10 scholarships and certificates during the visit.
• On Bangabandhu’s birth centenary, a digital exhibition was organized on the life history of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Mahatma Gandhi.
  • The exhibition has traveled to 18 countries, besides India and Bangladesh.

Trade between India and Bangladesh(last financial year):

• Bangladesh’s exports to India increased 100 percent and are valued at $2 billion.
• India’s exports to Bangladesh have increased by 70 percent and are currently at $16 billion.
• Diplomatic efforts to reduce the trade deficit with India are on.
• Talks for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to increase trade between the two countries.
• Both have reached a consensus to continue cooperation to deal with potential energy crises.

Security cooperation:

• Bangladesh has ensured that no activity in Bangladesh endangers the geographical integrity of India and disturbs the stability of the seven northeastern states.
• One of the top leaders of ULFA, Anup Chetia, was handed over to India.

Energy Cooperation:

• Bangladesh imports 1,160 MW of electricity from India.
• Discussions on importing electricity from Nepal and Bhutan via India are on.
• The Akhaura-Agartala rail line will be launched in the next few months.
  • The Shahjadpur-Kulaura line will be completed after that.
• Connectivity between Petropol and Benapol, Gede and Darshana, and Birol and Radhikapur connectivity will protect the interests of both countries.

Water cooperation:

• The two countries have signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the distribution of the waters of the Feni River.
• Both countries agreed to exchange technical information and set up a framework for an interim agreement on sharing waters of six rivers — Manu, Mahuri, Khowai, Gomti, Dharla and Dudhkumar.
• A MoU was signed between India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti and Bangladesh’s Ministry of Water Resources on the withdrawal of up to 153 cusecs of water by the two countries from the common border River Kushiyara during the dry season.
• Governments have talked of signing the Teesta Agreement.

Key Agreements signed:

• Agreement on withdrawal of water river Kushiyara
• Flood water related information
• Agreement on training of personnel
• Unit 1 of Maitree power plant(1320 MW)
• Rupsha rail bridge
• Mujib scholarships: For 200 family members of the personnel of the Indian military.

Way Forward

• In the area of water resources management, several satisfactory solutions have led to ice being broken over difficult matters between the two Bengals.
  • These could pave the way for the much-discussed and awaited Teesta water-sharing agreement.
• India’s home minister said: the relationship between the two countries is very deep.
  • Much of it is rooted in the shared culture of the two nations.
• The Role of Sheik Hasina: The contribution of Sheik Hasina to building a strong relationship with their largest neighbor is enormous and widely appreciated in India.
• A role model for bilateral and regional cooperation:Their leaders have jointly crafted and nurtured “a role model for bilateral and regional cooperation”.
  • It deserves to be protected and strengthened, whatever the future may hold.

QUESTION FOR PRACTICE

Q. Project ‘Mausam’ is considered a unique foreign policy initiative of the Indian Government to improve relationships with its neighbors. Does the project have a strategic dimension? Discuss. (UPSC 2015) (200 WORDS, 10 MARKS)