India-Bangladesh Relations

Introduction

Culturally and geographically, each country is tied to the other by the ancient Silk Road trade route, in which traders navigated China, India, Persia, and Greece. Commonalities that are  underlying India and Bangladesh’s relationship are tradition, culture, language, and shared principles such as secularism, democracy etc.  The connection has been enhanced in recent years, primarily through engagement in new and high-technology fields.

Brief History and Recent Developments:

• India has been the first nation to recognize Bangladesh as an independent entity, and diplomatic ties were established shortly after its independence in December 1971
• India and Bangladesh’s relationship has reached a ‘golden period.’ The signing of the ‘Land Boundary’ Agreement in 2015, which resolved the border dispute, cemented the friendship even further
• The Citizenship (Amendment) Act of 2019 has tainted the friendly nature of India and Bangladesh’s relationship. Bangladesh has canceled the visit of its Foreign and Home Ministers and the Speaker of Parliament to India as a result of this event
• India sent the COVID-19 vaccine and other medical tools to Bangladesh to show reconciliation and progress in bilateral ties

Importance of Bangladesh to India:

• In many respects, Bangladesh is crucial to India from a ‘geopolitical’ standpoint. Taking Bangladesh’s relationship casually would be detrimental to India’s national interests
• Bangladesh has the longest land border with India, stretching almost 4096 kilometers. Bangladesh shares borders with the Indian states of Assam, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, and West Bengal. There is also a sea border between the two countries
• Bangladesh is working on several connection projects. The country has also become an entry point for India’s north-eastern states. These initiatives will aid India’s North-Eastern region’s socio-economic growth
• The porous border and riverine boundaries have prompted security concerns between the two countries. There are two significant factors to consider in this regard
• Smuggling and human trafficking rings have been uncovered in this region, resulting in illegal migration from Bangladesh to India
• Several insurgents from the North-Eastern insurgent organizations, as well as other  terrorists, have exploited this region to cause harm to India
• Bangladesh’s geographical location also plays an essential role in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The Bangladeshi Navy plays a pivotal role in ensuring that sea channels of communication remain free of pirates and other threats to the marine trade

Pillars of cooperation 

Economic Relations and Investments

• • • In the South Asian area, Bangladesh is India’s largest commercial partner. India exports pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, and information technology, among other things
    • In the fiscal year 2018-2019, bilateral trade totaled more than US$ 10 billion. India exported $9.21 billion in goods and services and received $1.22 billion in goods and services
    • There is a trade surplus in India’s favor. Indian corporations have invested in Bangladesh’s telecommunications, tourism, electricity, and other infrastructure sectors to address this. India spent more than $500 million in 2019
    • India has also extended three US$ 8 billion lines of credit over an eight-year term. This is India’s contribution to Bangladesh’s growth
    • To better understand the border regions and their socio-economic trends, the two countries have established two Border Haats in Tripura and Meghalaya, respectively
      
      

Connectivity Projects and Transport Links

• • • Bangladesh’s geographical location makes it an attractive place for India and the rest of the region to carry out different connectivity initiatives
    • These infrastructure projects are crucial for India’s development. These connectivity initiatives and transportation linkages are projected to help India’s North-Eastern region
      
      Some noteworthy projects and links are listed below: 

• The railway link between Akhaura and Agartala is being built

• Bus and train services between Dhaka and Kolkata, and Agartala are available (Maitree express)

• The railway link between Kulaura and Shahbazpur is being built

• The route between Akhaura and Ashuganj is being improved
• Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal (BBIN) project. This project is expected to improve connectivity and boost trade in the South Asian region by more than 60%.
  • • • MOUs for the usage of the ports of Chhotogram and Mongla
      • In 1972, India and Bangladesh signed the Protocol for Inland Water Trade and Transit (PIWTT) to connect the two nations via inland waterways. The second amendment to the PITT was just signed in 2020. This resulted in the opening of two new routes
      • In addition, India is investigating the use of inland waterways in Bangladesh

Energy Cooperation:

• • India now exports about 660 megawatts of power to Bangladesh each year
  • The Maitree Super Thermal Power Project, which generates about 1320 MW of electricity, was built in India
  • India is playing a critical role in developing the Roopur Nuclear Power Plant, which can generate 2400 MW, with the help of Russia. This is one of the few instances of Indo-Russian cooperation outside of India
  • Furthermore, the two countries are now constructing India and Bangladesh’s relationship/ Friendship Pipeline between Siliguri and Parbatipur, which is planned to transport roughly 400,000 tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh each year

Challenges:

The following are the irritants and challenges between the two nations:

• China factor: Over 25 energy projects, including Bangladesh’s second nuclear power plant and the Bangabandhu communication satellite, are being funded by China. Many port development projects are underway. China’s One Belt One Road initiative has also entrapped Bangladesh, and China’s proximity to India causes security worries
• The problem of Rohingya refugees: Bangladesh is home to around 11 million Rohingya Muslims. The Myanmar catastrophe has spurred their departure. India has cordial connections with Myanmar and Bangladesh and does not want to jeopardize such relationships. Apart from carrying out ‘Mission Insaniyat,’ a humanitarian aid operation, India has no direct involvement in resolving the conflict. As a result, there has been a significant divergence in bilateral ties with Bangladesh
• Security in the border regions: The Border Security Force (BSF) has recently targeted and gunned down traffickers and illegal migrants from Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, this has sparked a public outcry and Bangladesh  Rifles have shot down Indian service members belonging to the BSF without provocation. Several commentators have linked this current religious indoctrination to the influence of the infamous ISI on the Bangladeshi military
• Teesta river dispute UPSC:
  • Teesta River dispute: Testa is a tributary of the Ganges and begins in Sikkim before making its way through Bengal and Bangladesh. India has a 55 percent share of the river’s water
  • Bangladesh wants a more significant proportion than it already receives
  • The river is Bangladesh’s fourth largest transboundary river. In Bangladesh, the Teesta floodplain comprises 2,750 square kilometers for irrigation and fishing. 83 percent of the river’s watershed – the land region where water accumulates – is in India, while 17 percent is in Bangladesh
  • Another topic of conflict on the Teesta river dispute is hydropower. On the river, there are at least 26 projects on the river, most of which are in Sikkim
  • The Teesta river dispute has the potential to wreak havoc on the partnership.

Conclusion

There is a lot of room for India and Bangladesh to improve their bilateral relations. Cooperation, collaboration, and consolidation should be the foundations of the connection. Peace is the most important condition for progress. As a result, competent border management is required to provide a peaceful, secure, and crime-free border.