EAM S Jaishankar says Bangladesh is central to India's neighbourhood first policy

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has said that Bangladesh is central to India’s neighbourhood first policy. Addressing a joint media meet in Dhaka on Thursday along with his Bangladeshi counterpart, Dr. Jaishankar said that the relation between the two countries transcends even the strategic relationship. He said that the importance of Bangladesh is growing in India’s Act East policy. The Minister said there are enormous possibilities of growth of ties between the two countries. 

Dr. S. Jaishankar said that India and Bangladesh are working hard to expand their relationship in all dimensions ranging from security, trade, transport and connectivity, culture, people to people ties, energy, joint development of shared resources to defence. He said that the comfort level of the two countries is so high that there is no issue which they can't solve by amicable discussion. 

Speaking about the growing relationship even during the Covid pandemic, the External Affairs Minister said that Bangladesh is the largest recipient of 9 million doses of Made in India vaccine. He said it is a matter of satisfaction that despite COVID pandemic, interaction between the two countries continued unabated with several meetings at



the high level.

Highlighting the concrete gains made in the relationship between India and Bangladesh, the External Affairs Minister said that practical progress has been made on the ground. Conducting a trial run of container cargo through Chattogram port to Agartala, adding two new protocol routes to inland waterways connecting Tripura to the national waterways, handing over 10 BG locomotives, forming a Joint venture in the energy sector are some recent examples. 

Dr. Jaishankar congratulated Bangladesh on its graduation from the LDC status. He said it is a tribute to its miraculous socio economic progress and the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He said India will always be there with Bangladesh as its reliable friend.

EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar made a courtesy call on the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence in Dhaka in the afternoon.

He had arrived in Bangladesh on a day long visit on Thursday morning. Earlier in the day, he held a meeting with the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr A K Abdul Momen in Dhaka.

EAM left Dhaka for India after completing his one day visit to Bangladesh.