PM Modi, Sheikh Hasina Meet For Bilateral Talks, India-Bangladesh Ink 7 Pacts

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held wide-ranging talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on further deepening overall ties between the two countries in diverse areas including defence and security, trade and connectivity. Government sources said the focus of the talks was to significantly expand the areas of cooperation between the two countries. Both sides want to boost ties in areas of defence, trade and connectivity, they said.

India and Bangladesh inked seven pacts and launched three projects. One of the projects included import of LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) from Bangladesh for distribution in the North Eastern states.

The pacts signed after Modi-Hasina talks provided for deeper cooperation between the two countries in areas of water resources, youth affairs, culture, education and coastal surveillance.

In a brief media statement, Modi said India accords priority to its ties with Bangladesh and increasing cooperation between the two neighbouring countries should be model for the entire world.

“I am happy that today’s talks will further energise our bilateral ties,” he said in presence of Hasina.

Modi said in the last one year, the two sides launched a total of 12 projects, including three inaugurated on Saturday, which reflected the intensity in ties between the two sides.

In her remarks, Hasina said ties between the two countries have been on an upswing in the last few years including in areas of maritime security, civil nuclear energy and trade.