India and Bangladesh on Tuesday (6/9) reached an agreement to share water from the rivers that flow through the two countries. They promised to improve their trade relations, while reaffirming their close ties, during the visit of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India.
Calling Dhaka “the region’s biggest development and trade partner”, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the two sides would start talks on a comprehensive economic deal and expand cooperation in sectors such as information technology. information, aerospace and nuclear energy.
Establishing close ties with Bangladesh is a priority for India, which is seeking to fend off Chinese incursions into neighboring South Asian countries such as Nepal and Sri Lanka, with the Chinese initiative to Belt and Road infrastructure.
Sheikh Hasina’s four-day visit to India is seen as politically significant in Bangladesh as it comes ahead of next year’s elections.
Of the seven pacts signed on Tuesday, one of the most hailed in Dhaka is the Kushiyara River Water Sharing Agreement. This is the first agreement signed by the two countries in more than 25 years.
The pact to share the water resources of the transboundary river that flows downstream from the Himalayas from India to Bangladesh has long been a priority for Bangladesh, which suffers from water shortages. [ps/ka]
