India, Bangladesh sign 10 pacts to boost ties in several key sectors, including maritime sphere, blue economy

New Delhi, June 22

India and Bangladesh on Saturday firmed up a futuristic vision to shore up cooperation in several new areas and signed 10 agreements to boost ties in several key sectors, including in maritime sphere and blue economy.

The pacts were finalised at the wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visiting Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina.

The documents finalised included a shared vision for India-Bangladesh “digital partnership”, one on “green partnership” and another on cooperation in the space sector.

Two other significant pacts firmed up by the two sides were a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on maritime cooperation and blue economy and an agreement to facilitate Railway connectivity.

The other agreements were in the areas of oceanography, health and medicine, disaster management and fisheries.

“Today we have prepared a futuristic vision for cooperation in new areas,” Modi said in his statement to the media.

“The youth of both countries will benefit from the consensus reached on cooperation in areas such as green partnership, digital partnership, blue economy and space,” he said.

The prime minister also referred to the “futuristic vision” for cooperation in new areas.

“Today we have prepared a futuristic vision for cooperation in new areas. The youth of both countries will benefit from the consensus reached on cooperation in many areas such as green partnership, digital partnership, blue economy and space,” he said.

In her remarks, Hasina described India as Bangladesh’s major neighbour and a trusted friend.

“India is our major neighbour, trusted friend, and regional partner. Bangladesh greatly values our relations with India, which were born out of the War of Liberation in 1971,” she said.

“I recall with gratitude the contribution of the government and the people of India to Bangladesh’s independence,” she said.

Hasina also paid homage to the “brave fallen heroes of India” who sacrificed their lives in the 1971 war.

“Today, we had very productive meetings where we discussed cooperation in areas of security, trade, connectivity, sharing of water from common rivers, power and energy, and regional and multilateral cooperation,” she said.

“We agreed to collaborate with each other for the betterment of our people and countries,” she added.

The Bangladesh prime minister began her two-day visit to India on Friday.

It is the first incoming bilateral state visit by a foreign leader after the formation of the new government in India following the Lok Sabha elections.

In the morning, Hasina visited Rajghat and paid rich tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.

Ahead of the talks, the visiting leader was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the fore-court of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Hasina was among seven top leaders from India’s neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean region who attended the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union council of ministers on June 9.