Issue Brief

SHEIKH HASINA’S INDIA SOJOURN: TAKING STOCK OF INDIA AND BANGLADESH RELATION

SMRUTI S PATTNAIK
September 26, 2022

India Bangladesh relations have emerged as a role model of the bilateral relationship in the context of India's relations with its neighbours. There exist differences between the two on many issues of mutual concern, which is natural between any neighbouring countries, yet, both have taken a conscious decision to move forward on issues that would turn around the economies of the two countries. Not surprisingly, infrastructure, trade and people-to-people contact have received priority. The two countries are working on resolving the long-standing Teesta river water sharing. They have identified seven rivers for water sharing from among the 54 common rivers they share. Cooperation on defence and security, though they are at a nascent stage, the two countries in the past have introduced staff-to-staff dialogue, joint exercises, and cooperation in managing the border in what can be defined as moving towards an enduring relationship taking all the facets of the relationship.

 

Author Note
Dr SMRUTI S PATTANAIK (PhD) is Research Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies & Analyses (MP-IDSA), New Delhi. Views are author’s own.